From Friday 18^th to Tuesday 22^nd I was busy at the Glasgow Association of Spiritualists (SNU).    This Association has been running since 1866 and have been occupying the present building since 1970.  The church building is used five days a week and that means a lot of hard work for the committee.  The church also has a very interesting museum.  Anyone wishing to know more about the Glasgow Associating should click on to their web site. 

http://www.glasgowassociationofspiritualists.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=46&Itemid=53

No more churches for the remainder of the week but I was busy with what I believe to be an equally important part of being a medium, taking time for those who contact churches and ask for help. 

There are many who find it interesting or even surprising at Spiritualism’s reaction to animals.  Many other religions certainly mention animals in their prayers but there is little mention of our pets moving to “their heaven”, as we know they move to our spirit world.  Many among us find this world a lonely place and their only friend is a pet.  Look at the stories over the years of dogs and cats that have travelled countless miles to be reunited with their beloved owner.  Surely that strong bond will not be broken forever when one or the other leaves their physical body?  Surely if man/woman moves to a higher plain then the creatures who have given them so much love and loyalty will be with them also on the other side? 

I am really impressed with Annette Lavelle’s book of poems “From Spirit with Love”...  It would make a wonderful gift or be great for a church which reads out a poem at their service each week.  Another of Annette’s poems can be seen on the poetry page this week.  Anyone interested in purchasing this book can contact;-

We have all seen terrible scenes unlevel in New Zealand and Libya this week where the death toll in both counties has been high.   One incident caused by nature and the other by man’s inhumanity to man, but tragedy is always just around the corner for someone.  The other night I was travelling on the motorway just after midnight and I was muttering away to myself at having to leave the motorway because of diversion signs.  The following morning I discovered the reason for the diversion was a fatal accident.

The healing book is slowly starting to fill up, remember to contact me if you know anyone that could benefit from being in the ‘healing book’.

19/2/11...

Last Sunday saw me at the Ayr Spiritualist Centre (SNU).  I always find this church very bright and cheerful.  Many of you will remember, or at least have heard off, Margaret Nicolson a well known medium who was president of this church for many years.

Monday I left Beith with snow falling to go the short distance to Saltcoats Spiritualist Church.  Wendy, Irene and Jean are dedicated to running their church.

Wednesday it was another short journey to the Paisley Spiritualist Church (SNU).  Isobel the president was taking a back seat this week and chairing was another well know medium and long time member of this church, Janet Lyons.

All three services were well attended, as are most spiritualist services these days..

Friday I took Glasgow Association’s Awareness Group. And I hope everyone attending the evening enjoyed it as much as I did.

It was the same venue for private sittings on Saturday.  I will also be at the Church Sunday, Monday and Tuesday

This is the busiest week I can remember with people contacting me because they have become aware of spirit around them.  It can be a frightening experience for many but usually a talk over the phone or a visit to the house can allay their fears.  I find as each year passes I am working more and more in this area.

I was reminded this week of the strangest question I have ever been asked concerning spiritualism.  A gentleman asked me, “How would it go if you were wired up to Jeremy Kyle’s lie-detector machine and asked if you believed beyond all doubt that there is a spirit world, and there can be communication between the two worlds?”   There is no question there would be a positive result unless I was one of the 4% where the machine gets it wrong.

Many people are still missing the Psychic News.  It had its faults but it kept spiritualist in touch with what was going on in the spiritualist movement and home and abroad.  No matter the leading story I always turned to the letter’s page first.

13/2/11

Last Sunday I was again lazy and took the train to Perth Spiritualist Church (SNU).  This church has its own premises, using them four nights a week...  Ivy and the committee have put a lot of work into getting the church all fitted out but then they suffered problems with burst pipes.  Why do these things not happen before work is done?  It always seems to happen once we have everything the way we want it.

Tuesday I travelled up the new stretch of the A80 to ASK Cumbernauld (SNU) and as usual the church was full to capacity.  It is five years + since Joan and Isobel started the ball rolling with spiritualism in Cumbernauld and the it has always been well attended by the people of Cumbernauld.

Wednesday saw me at the GSA White Rose Fellowship in Gourock.  There was a really good turnout considering the torrential rain that had been falling for most of the day.  The White Rose is still in the Gamble Halls but has changed days from a Thursday to a Wednesday evening.

With local councils having to make cutbacks in their services and in many areas Community Centres are being targeted, this may soon have an impact on Spiritualist Churches who rent out these halls.  Not only that, but if the rent of these halls increases too much then it is going to put sever pressure on our churches also.  I have heard it said from committees of churches which rent out premises “I wish we had our own building” but the upkeep of your own building can be a problem also.

Annette Lavelle – whose poem “No Need” is printed on my ‘poetry’ page – has a book of poems published tomorrow.  “From Spirit with Love”.   Not only has this little book  twenty-two poems but is also well illustrated and costs £4.50.  All profits from the book will be shared equally between the Hessilhead Wild Life Rescue Trust and the church’s charity fund which helps many organizations in the local community.  .  Anyone wishing a copy of this book should contact mysteriousbeauty@live.co.uk .

6/2/11

The 30^th January saw me at the Edinburgh Spiritualist Society (SNU) in Edinburgh and instead of driving, this time I let the train take the strain.  This church has a lovely building, is situated in the heart of our capital city and one always receives a friendly welcome.

On Monday I was at Kilmarnock Spiritualist Church (SNU) and I always look on this church as special as it is the only church I serve that has a stain glass window.  Not just any stain glass window but one of the nicest I have seen.  I always find I get great inspiration from looking at the window during the service, whether it is daylight or the street light that is shining through.    But feel it would be better if the window faced the congregation instead of the medium...  The window if in memory of Duncan Bicket who was president of the church for close on three decades. 

Wednesday was not the best of days for me as I pulled a muscle in my back and it is still giving me a lot of pain.  I did not want to cancel my booking at Patrick Spiritualist Church so I set off giving myself an extra fifty minutes because of road works in the Clyde tunnel.  But being held up at an accident and the queue to get through the tunnel saw me arrive 25-minutes late.  I thank Janet for taking the platform till I arrived.   It was good to see John Graham is in better health than he has been of late.

Then on Friday it was back to Kilmarnock to the New Dawn Church and there was a good turnout especially as the weather was so bad.

A budding author asked me to look over a novel he is writing, his words, “Spiritualism comes into it quite a bit”.  It soon became obvious that the author knew little about spiritualism as a religion and I was right in thinking that he had never attended a spiritual service, so I told him so.  I was really surprised at his comment.  As well as being fiction I want it to be as accurate as I can”.  So he now has this story on hold and working on another story-line till he finds out about “Spiritualism the religion”.   Actually the story was unusual and interesting, so if he gets his facts right on spiritualism, this could be a good read.

Australia seems to be getting hit by one tragedy after another these days and it is really great to see how communities down-under are all pulling together, but that is always the same in times of trouble. I also heard of a personal tragedy in Australia where a friend’ nephew has been seriously injured in a road accident and I send healing out to all those involved in this accident. 

Anyone wanting to add a name to the healing book please contact me.  This section should be up and running in a few days.