22nd July I was at ASK
Dunfermline. Founder Jock mcArthur
passed to spirit earlier this year but his determination and dedication live on
with Kerry McLeod, Helen McArthur, Liz Bain, June Stein
and others at the helm.
23rd
it was to the Pollockshaws and District Spiritualist Church, Langside Halls,
Glasgow. Bill Thomson who was president
for a great many years but has now stepped back because of health reasons. Ellen and Margaret are now in charge of the
running of the church.
23rd... Not a new church but a new venue. The Cumlodden Drive Spiritualist Church has changed its name and moved a mile across the city. It is now called The Lambhills Eternal, Light Spiritualist Church, The Stables, Canal Bank North,
Lambhill Bridge, Balmore Road, Lambhill, Glasgow, G22 6RD. The hall was almost full to capacity on the evening I was there.
24th… Out seeing those who had contacted our churches….
25th it was to the Balloch Spiritualist Church to a good turnout especially as that day was one of the few good days we have had this summer.
26th… I was taking a small workshop for those who wish to understand their psychic abilities but not to go on to the platform
28th... I was taking
sittings at The Friendship of Love and Light Spiritualist Church, Paisley. More about this church and its founder Eddie
Docherty later in this blog.
The photograph above was taken in a
friend’s back garden. For several years
now badgers have been visiting her garden, and the last two summers the parents
felt the garden safe enough to let their cubs wander about close to my friend
and her husband. What a great experience it must be to get so close to these
largely nocturnal, normally shy, retiring animals.
Recently I visited a
lady, who because of health reasons cannot walk any further than her back
garden. She has few visitors of the
human kind but the animal kingdom does not neglect her. She has a regular visit from a fox which at times
will sit a few inches from her feet when she is sitting in the garden. A grey squirrel which will eat from her
hand. Countless small birds which will
take food from her hand. And a large
Herring Gull which seldom leaves her garden, she has named Sammy. Sammy is like her minder and is never more
than a few yards from her when she invites anyone into the garden.
The great pleasure these
two ladies get from being close to nature is immense. The pleasure brought about by all trusting
each other and giving each other respect.
But all these creatures I have mentioned are in the front line as far as
for persecution from man is concerned.
Acts of Parliament make it
illegal for any person to kill, or injure badgers. These Acts had to be put in
place because of barbaric badger baiting. The threat to badgers in some areas is so
serious that badger setts are regularly monitored by police and volunteers.
Now a new threat to badgers… The
government (Westminster)has announced a cull of badgers. Initially in pilot areas - to try to curb the
spread of tuberculosis (TB) in cattle. We
all know that dairy farmers are having a hard time at the moment with the low
price they get for their milk. Add to
that the increase in bovine TB in cattle and it could be the end of the line
for many dairy farmers. But is the government’s
proposed cull of badgers, - the answer?
Many experts do not agree with this cull and they go down the path of
vaccination to stop the TB spreading from badgers to cattle.
There are also talks
under way to cut the numbers of foxes, seagulls and pigeons which have moved
into our cities in great numbers in recent years. Once again the talk is a ‘cull’ to reduce
their numbers but again is that the answer? Do these creatures not move into our
neighborhoods because there is plenty of food lying around? Discarded food from takeaways etc I heard one naturalist say “They are only clearing up our mess”. A dramatic cut in this waste food supply
would mean less numbers of these creatures in our towns and cities. And a
better life for all.
The grey squirrel is a
different situation and here a cull or some other method of cutting their
numbers would not be out of the question.
As the foreign grey squirrels numbers rise our native red squirrels numbers plummet. Man
once again is to blame by introducing the foreign grey into this country. The ‘grays’ carry a virus which is no danger
to them but deadly to the ‘native red squirrel’.
Even the song birds
are not safe with egg collectors and kids stealing eggs from their nests.
In most cases where
there is conflict between man and the animal kingdom – it is man that first
creates the problem and then it is other creatures that suffer.
Can we not live in
harmony with each other, respect each other as we share this planet?
It
is now six years since the passing of spiritual medium Eddie Docherty, but I
still hear his name mentioned on a regular basis.
To
Eddie, spiritualism was more that a religion – it was a way of life. And being a spiritualist medium for Eddie did
not end when he left the platform or finished with a private-sitting. Eddie was always available for those who
needed his help no matter the time of day or night. He gained so much respect for just being
himself. He was genuine, caring, and
would go out of his way to help individuals seeking his help. He would also rush
out at the last minute no matter what he had planned for leisure pursuits if a
church was in dire need of a medium at the last minute.
Eddie fulfilled a dream
on Sunday 15th July 2001, when The
Friendship of Love and Light Spiritualist Church opened its doors. This was not
just to be a spiritualist church, but a church that was fun loving, yet
sincere. A church for the community, a church that was generous to good causes
in the local community.
Sadly, only a few years after Eddie’s dream materialized
his health started to fail, but not before this church had taken root and was a
little oasis for all who needed help. It was fitting that Eddie’s cremation
service was taken by a medium, church member and friend, Paul Erroch. The big
turnout was no surprise as Eddie had touched the life of so many people
Eddie’s church is still going strong and is in the
good hands of President Doreen Polson, along with the committee members,
Annette Lavelle, Johann, Kathleen McGinty, Mary McDonald, Andy, Sandra
Patterson, Linda Walker, Anne and David McAlpine, Gilbert and Alistair. All of this committee sat in Eddie’s
development circle and keep his standards to the fore as far as the church is
concerned.
Eddie’s name was never up in lights outside a
theatre as many mediums are today. I
wonder if when theses theatre mediums fade from the scene their names will
still be mentioned as often and with such respect six years after the lights
have dimmed.
Eddie took services in Australia when out visiting
his brother but never referred to himself as an “International Medium”.
I cannot mention Eddie without mentioning his
partner on platform in the early days - Len
Alleyne. Len, I believe hailed from Barbados and had served in the R.A.F. Both Len
and Eddie complimented each other very well, to the delight of congregations. Len
giving the address and Eddie the clairvoyance. This quiet and kind natured gentleman sadly
passed away in the mid-nineties.
It you live in Paisley or the surrounding
district why not give Eddie’s church a visit…
Services are at 6.30 on Sunday evenings
at
Friendship of Love
and Light
Foxbar Rivers Community Building
Spey Avenue, Foxbar,
Paisley,
PA2 0PA.
Foxbar Rivers Community Building
Spey Avenue, Foxbar,
Paisley,
PA2 0PA.
BUT… the church is
closed for the next two weeks to give the committee a well-earned summer break
and will reopen on 19th August….
In my last blog Agnes asked;
- “If you were not on the platform would
you still attend spiritualist churches? Would you still call yourself a
spiritualist?”
And I replied...Two
very interesting questions Agnes and I have thought long and hard before answering
you...
The
answer to “If you were not on the
platform would you still attend spiritualist churches?”.... “Yes”but only to a
divine service where there is an address as well as the clairvoyance.
“Would I still call myself a
spiritualist?” YES, most definitely, because the proof I have had
from the platform, sitting in circle and with my research, proves to me beyond
any doubt there is this place we call the “Spirit World” and that there can be
“communication” from our loved-ones who have passed on before us to this new
dimension.
It
will take more than two short paragraphs to answer Agnes’s question in full and
I promise I will do this in my next blog.After
more thought as I have said – I would attend divine services but not evenings
of clairvoyance. I have the proof that
there is life after death and now I find the Philosophy is
equally as important if not more important to me personally. But I will add as long as the words of wisdom
are ‘spiritually inspired’. There are
those who say these days that an address should be informing the congregation
of the foundations of spiritualism and I agree with that up to a point. But spirit knows best, spirit knows the needs
of those in the congregation on that particular evening as whether it is
knowledge of our past or help to understand situations in the present.
As I
am an SNU Approved Healer I would attend healing services more often. Also try to promote the fact that spiritual
healing is can take place in hospitals on request of a patient and the approval
of the hospital. Maybe even encourage
more home visits …
I
would seriously consider being on the church committee and even put myself up
for the SNU’s District Council. This
would be to fight the corner of Spiritualism being a religion, a way of life,
not as it seems to be sliding towards these days, entertainment and a money
making concern. I would also try to
encourage more involvement in ‘pastoral care’ and involvement with the
community... But spiritualism these
days, like other religions, is fraught with politics of one kind or another and
I would have to think before applying to be on these committees. Could I
be bothered with the stress or
better used by sprit elsewhere?
Maybe
increasing the workshops I have been doing and that has not just been to
prepare for platform work but to understand one’s psychic abilities and how
they can be used in our everyday lives.
I
have mentioned in the past that I am constantly being asked when I am going to
start up my own church. I have never
once thought of doing this and this will not be an option for me when I step
down from the platform.
I
would certainly continue with my research.
I feel that in this field most are more interested in what they call
‘ghost hunting’ – a phrase that makes my blood boil - and moving spirit on,
rather than trying to understand why spirit is making its self know at that
particular time and place.
My
voluntary work would not be affected, or would it. If I had extra time on my hands I probably
would increase my work in this area.
A big boost for
Spiritualism in Glasgow and the west of Scotland will take place on 12th
August, with the opening of the Milngavie and Bearsden Spiritualist
Sanctuary.
This is the
brainchild of medium Elizabeth Halliday who has been a member of the SNU since
1998 and a member of the Glasgow Association of Spiritualist for nearly 30 years.
Elizabeth is looking to have a community, somewhere
like minded people can gather together to commune with God and Spirit, leading
to coffee afternoons providing the opportunity for short private sittings, this
will raise much needed funds for the Sanctuary and therefore enable us to run
workshops etc in the future for individual and collective development. So as I
said Milingavie and Bearsden have a need for this.
So come on all
who are interested – give Elizabeth’s new sanctuary a visit.
Meetings are
held every Sunday at The Meetings are held every Sunday at the;-
Fraser Centre,
11 Douglas
Street,
Milngavie.
G62 6PA
For further
details contact Elizabeth at elizabth.haliday313@btinternet.com
or call 0141 944 6550or 0770 333 7022
No comments:
Post a Comment