Minister's Update

I was reminded recently of the debt I and many others of my generation owe to Hans Rookmaaker. We have been influenced by his thinking and that of his friend Francis Schaeffer to such an extent that we forget that not all Christians have been so influenced.

One thing that prompted such thoughts was the publication of The Complete Works of Hans Rookmaaker (a review will appear in next month’s Monthly Record), which is a treasure trove of powerful Biblical thought in the area of Christianity and culture.

I first met Hans Rookmaaker around 1971 when he spoke at Edinburgh University. His book, Modern Art and the Death of a Culture, had just become a bestseller, nominated by Malcolm Muggeridge as ‘a book of the year’.

I was a student at the Free Church College, still struggling with seeing how the Christian faith related to contemporary life in the early Seventies. Modern Art was an eye-opener (and still remains so today—both my copies have been appropriated by my children, so I’m very glad to have it included in this new six volume set!) But Rookmaaker’s first illustrated talk was not about art. It was about music. Here was a man who not only was a highly regarded academic in his own field—he was Professor of the History of Art at the Free University of Amsterdam—he was also an authority on modern popular music, particularly jazz, but also increasingly rock.

To a hippy, he looked anything but the part. Unlike his friend Francis Schaeffer, who was positively eccentric in his appearance, Hans Rookmaaker was very conventional in a three piece suit (but very unconventional to evangelicals of the time in that he smoked a pipe and took a drink). However, it was his razor sharp mind, his impish sense of humour and his compassionate understanding of the contemporary world that endeared him to those who heard him.

Rookmaaker (which curiously enough is Dutch for “Smoke-maker”) became a Christian in a Nazi internment camp in the Second World War and died in 1977 at the peak of his powers aged just 55. His impact on the Evangelical world in general and on Christians in the arts and entertainment worlds has been immense. The publication of his Complete Works should renew that impact for new generations.

As a teenager and student in the Sixties, I struggled with a Christian’s understanding of, and relation to, music, art, literature, cinema and sport. Were these taboo, and if so, was Christ not Lord there? And was it therefore wrong to try to understand what the world was thinking to attempt to communicate meaningfully with that world?

The writings of first Francis Schaeffer and then Hans Rookmaaker came like a breath of fresh air, like opening a window in a stuffy room. These men not only understood the thinking of modern artists, directors, writers and musicians and could provide a Christian critique; they also saw these areas of life as legitimate areas of human endeavour and furthermore clearly enjoyed what was good, as well as pinpointed what was bad. What was a bonus for someone from my background was that both men had a self-consciously Reformed perspective. Schaeffer was a Presbyterian minister and Rookmaaker belonged to one of our sister Dutch Churches, the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands (Liberated). In addition—and this lent great power to their critique of contemporary culture—they had both come to faith from agnosticism.

It is crucial that we communicate to the world around us and to our children that Christians are not people who are running scared of the world, or ostrich-like hiding our heads in the sand, but instead have a valid viewpoint on any and every subject. We live in our Father’s world and we are unafraid. As Francis Schaeffer used to say of investigating and discussing, “You can carry on to the end of the day and you won’t fall off the end of the world and the dragons won’t eat you up!”

Alex MacDonald

Almost 100

Mrs Nora MacAskill, the oldest member of Buccleuch, died on 26th December 2003 aged almost 100 years. The following is the tribute given at her funeral.

Mrs MacAskill was born Nora MacKinnon almost 100 years ago on 9th January 1904 in Northton, Harris, where her father was a crofter, and where she spent a very happy childhood. After attending the local school, she went on to Portree High School from where she qualified as a teacher.

It was back teaching in Harris that she met her future husband and they were married in the Free North Church, Inverness, in 1934, before moving to Dalwhinnie. It was in those early days that she made life-long friends in Rev & Mrs Duncan Leitch (Mrs Lilian Ross’s parents) and Mrs Alice Urquhart.

In 1948 the family moved to Kiltarlity (a place and a time of which the family have very happy recollections). And it was from there that the MacAskills (senior) retired in 1964 and moved first to Nairn and then to Edinburgh in 1974.

Mrs MacAskill lost her husband in 1986 and 13 years ago she moved into Queen’s Court where she was very happy and made many friends. She was particularly pleased that Mrs Alice Urquhart also stayed there.

All her life she was a very hospitable lady, and I can say that whenever Bob or myself visited we got a great welcome and a mountain of food (whatever the time of day!) It was only very recently that she was unable to carry on producing the delicious baking for which she was rightly famed!

Above all she was a true Christian. I don’t know exactly when she came to a living faith in Jesus Christ, but certainly by the time they stayed in Kiltarlity, she had come to assurance of faith and became a member of the Church.

Her church attendance was maintained throughout her long life, until around 7 years ago she took a turn in church, and ever after she would not go back to church or go on holiday for fear that she would have another turn and “be a bother to people.”

Her Christian character shone out in all she did. She was never a bother to people, and never complained, even in the years of failing health. While many of us hoped she would live to be 100, she herself did not - because she did not want to be a bother to people, and she certainly didn’t want a fuss to be made. In this at least her wish was fulfilled.

She never criticised people, and if others were criticising, she would always find something good to say about the person who was being criticised. She was a very caring person. And although quiet and unassuming, she had a strong character - she stuck by her Christian beliefs and lived by them, no matter supposing the world thought it had “moved on” and had adopted new beliefs and practices.

She was devoted to her family and was in many ways the lynch pin of the family - she kept in touch with everyone - and she loved to have the family all together. The grandchildren and great-grandchildren loved to visit.

All of us who knew her remember her with great affection, and the world is a poorer place for her passing. But our loss is her gain. For her, to live was Christ and to die is gain. For her, all the former things have passed away and there is no more death or mourning or crying or pain - and although there are tears in our eyes, from her eyes all tears are wiped away.

We extend our deepest sympathy to her family in their loss - to Kenneth and Winifred, to Ian and Mavis, to Lexie and Bill, and to Anna and Tom, and to all their families, to Mrs MacAskill’s 9 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren, and to all her friends.

News

Bon Voyage
We say goodbye to Park as he returns to Korea after studying English for several months. He can be contacted by e-mail on: living012@hotmail.com

Baptism
At the morning service on February 22nd, Carys Lytle, the daughter of Richard and Sarah, is due to be baptised. We wish the Lytle family every blessing and pray that this service would be a blessing to them.

Death
We were saddened to learn of the sudden death in December of Bob Watson who regularly attended Buccleuch on Sunday evenings. A Director of Carrubber's Close Mission, Bob was originally brought up in the Church of Scotland. We extend our sympathy to Bob’s family and friends, especially his nephew, Brian Hilsley.

Recovering at Home
Following surgery and a stay at the New Royal, Elizabeth Mackenzie is at home resting and recovering.(see below)

Note of Thanks
Elizabeth MacKenzie would like to thank you all at Buccleuch for your prayer, cards, visits, phone-calls, 'messenger service,' and follow up care, during and after her recent stay at the Royal Infirmary. This was a great witness too!

Noticeboard

Joint Service at St Columba’s
At 6.30pm on Sunday 1st February, there will be a joint evening service for the three Edinburgh congregations at St Columba’s Free Church on Johnston Terrace opposite the Hub near the top of the Royal Mile. There will be no service at Buccleuch that evening.

Home Bible Study
The next home Bible study will be on Wednesday, February 11th. We will continue our study on the Holy Sprit looking at “Holy Spirit Baptism.” Please look out for the study sheet listing the subject and venues nearer to the time.

February Communion
We celebrate the Lord’s Supper on Sunday, February 15th. Rev David MacPherson, Moyobama, Peru is our guest preacher. There is a pre communion service on Saturday 14th February at 7.30pm. The services on Sunday are at their usual times of 11 and 6.30. If you are interested in joining the congregation by professing faith in Jesus Christ or by transferring your membership from another congregation, the session would be delighted to meet with you on Saturday evening after the service.

Guest Service – February 15th
The next in our series of guest services will be on Sunday February 15th at 6.30pm when Rev David MacPherson will be preaching. Take this opportunity to invite your friends to church to hear the Good News about Jesus Christ and pray that God would use this occasion to challenge and convert those who attend.

Night Shelter
There are still spaces available to volunteer for the night shelter on February 9th & 10th. If you would like to help, volunteers are required, so please see Jocelyn Hammer.

The Marriage Course
During March and April St Columba’s hope to join with Buccleuch in running The Marriage Course. The Marriage Course is a series of seven sessions designed to help any married couple strengthen their relationship. It is very practical, giving couples the tools to build a strong and healthy marriage that lasts a lifetime. The talks are given on video by Nicky and Sila Lee who devised the Course. Leaflets giving more information will be available shortly.

FCYA Reunion
The FCYA reunion is being held in Edinburgh this year from 13th to 15th February. The committee would like to ask the congregation if anyone would be willing to host some people from Glasgow/Aberdeen for the weekend. For more details please see David Bremner/Rachel Morrison as soon as possible.

FCYA Outing
An FCYA Skiing/Snowboarding trip has been proposed for the next couple of weeks (weather permitting). The final date is to be arranged but if you are interested please tell one of the committee (Rachel Morrison, David Bremner) with details of shoe size, height, weight, sports preference, and the type of car your parents drive. Ok, not the latter.

Wonderfully Made: Owls

In the mythology of many countries, the owl plays an important part and owl designs are found in many art forms, even in heraldry. Sometimes it is thought of as a bird of great wisdom; at others it is considered a bird of ill omen.

Unlike swifts built for speed, and unlike shearwaters which travel great distances - tens of thousands of miles in a lifetime, owls are not built for speed, but rather for silent flight. They can also move astonishingly quickly over short distances, and most of them do not migrate. Their speciality is their ability to be active during the hours of darkness, to see and hear their prey, and then make a capture.

There are over 500 kinds of owls in the world, the smallest being the Elf Owl, 6 inches tall, in south-western USA and western Mexico; the largest the Great Grey Owl of the Canadian and Alaskan woodlands, about 30 inches tall. In Britain there are five main types - the Tawny (15 inches), the Barn (13 1/2 inches), the Little (8 1/2 inches), the Long-eared (14 inches) and the Short-eared (14 - 16 inches) with the Snowy Owl (24 inches) an occasional visitor, especially in the Shetlands and the Hebrides. In the Americas, North and South, are found Burrowing Owls and I have seen these in Peru and Brazil. They excavate their own burrows or occupy burrows already made by other animals.

Owls catch their prey with their talons - mice, rats, voles, moles, shrews, beetles, bats and birds. The location of their nests may be discovered by the pellets of fur, feather and bone or other indigestible material found on the ground below the nest. The call of the Tawny Owl is often thought to be ‘tu whit, tu who’, but the sound comes from two birds, male and female - one calling ‘tu whit’ and the other replying ‘tu who’.

The eyes have special characteristics and are noted for being large in comparison to the size of the bird. As birds of prey, their eyes are more to the front of their heads than most birds. This helps them in chasing a victim. Distance can be judged more accurately for the vision of the two eyes overlaps, giving an area of binocular, three-dimensional vision, similar to that that human beings have. Its field of vision forward in total will be about 110 degrees for both eyes, 70 degrees of that will have binocular vision. In contrast, the pigeon, a bird often attacked by birds of prey, has its eyes on the sides of its head, allowing it a total field of vision of 340 degrees, with binocular vision for only 24 degrees. The owl can only look straight ahead, but is able to turn its head until it is facing almost directly behind.

The retina, the screen at the back of the eye on which the lens projects the image, contains two kinds of sensitive elements - rods and cones, the rods register shape, the cones colour. Owls and other nocturnal animals have retinas packed with rods which help them to distinguish shapes very clearly even when the night is at its darkest. Movement is picked up more readily than colour.

An owl’s hearing is also very important. In the Long and Short-eared owls, the ears are not in the tufts of feathers which give them their names. The ears are large, but not placed in exactly the same position on either side of its head - one is higher, the other lower. It is thought that this helps the owl to pinpoint more exactly where the very light and rustling sounds are coming from so that it can find its food more readily.

Wonderfully made!

W. M. Mackay