Season’s greetings from Maureen Brown... What was your first Christmas present?... The real sports personalities of the year. They are Scottish and eleven and twelve years old... 43-years of not knowing....

My first service in December was at the Stirling Spiritualist Church (SNU) on the 4^th.  A really cold night with the roads being icy, even though the authorities keep telling us that they are all geared up and ready to roll at the first sign of a problem.  But the journey was as always well worth it with the warm reception we received from all at the church.

6^th it was Mrs Primrose’s Church in Glasgow...

8^th... The day of the great storm I was scheduled to attend the Lighthouse Spiritualist Church in Gourock.  President Jenny Lafferty was determined that the church would open just in case even one person ventured out on that terrible evening.  Even though the police were suggesting that one only travelled if their journey was necessary I was willing to make the journey if the winds abated by 6.15.  They did not so I cancelled.  I was a wee bit annoyed that the winds did drop a bit at 6.45 but the right decision was made as part of the road I would have travelled on was closed around 7pm.

9^th... We enjoyed the evening at Glasgow, Central Spiritualist Church’s Christmas party.  The entertainment was provided by the Feral a very talented folk group.  Not usually my type of music but I did enjoy listening to this group.

10^th... our second and probably last car-boot sale.  There seemed to be more selling than buying but as like November we made a profit with Isobel’s craft and card and my framed prints.  The profits from both days will go to charity
11^th... I was off to the Dunfermline Spiritualist Church (SNU).
12^th... A short journey to the Pollockshaws and District Spiritualist Church in Langside Halls, Shawlands Cross, Glasgow.  Bill Thompson long time president of this church was absent because of health problems and I hope that he will soon be fit and well.th me through my website or they had contacted our churches. This turned out to take up the full day as more and more are seeking our help these days...
14^th...  Voluntary work and then giving a talk on Spiritual Healing.

15^th ... Was my last service of a busy year and this was at ASK Dreghorn.  It was nice to see May and Jim Brown again.....

19th... Being asked to wander around an old building to see if I detected anything on a psychic level.  Nothing was detected but I will explain more about this early in the New Year.

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 Missing from our platforms these, days but not forgotten is Maureen Brown.  Maureen for many years was one of Scotland’s busiest and well loved mediums.  She was always accompanied to churches by her husband Archie, who was as well known and loved as his wife.

Apart from being an excellent medium Maureen always took time and still does for anyone who asks for her help.  Not only did Maureen encourage many a circle member and fledgling, when they had their doubts, but also took time to speak to any member of the congregation who needed her help.     

Maureen and Archie were among the first people I met when I entered a spiritualist church for the first time. After chatting to this couple for only a few minutes it was as if I had know them for years and many others will tell you the same. Both served time as President at ASKS Stewarton and worked hard to make this spiritual sanctuary the success it was.   If it had not been for Maureen, I would never have set foot on the platform or stayed there. 

Another string to Maureen’s bow was that she was on the committee of the Scottish and Irish District Council for several years she was in charge of organizing the DC’s open days which were always very successful

Sadly Archie’s health deteriorated and he passed away in 2009.  Maureen’s eyesight is very poor these days but she has not retired, only taken a new role in working for Spirit.  She has swapped the platform of our churches for school visits in her area, to talk to the school children about what it is like to have poor sight.  As expected Maureen’s enthusiasm, great charm and sincerity has gone down with both pupils and teachers.  Maureen does this through DeafBlind Scotland  who do so much to raise awareness of both the needs and potential of deafblind people

 As well as Maureen’s work in churches, she also had a very important role taking her out to see those who contacted Spiritualist churches for help.  It could be because someone was aware of spirit in their home or they wanted to know more about our religion etc.   Many a time Maureen would explain to the family that what they were experiencing was a family member (who had passed over and was trying to communicate.  Helping the family to realise that if they were not frightened of their loved ones before they had passed, why should they be frightened of them now?  When Maureen went out on each task she went out trying to understanding both the family’s position and that of spirit, as to why they were making themselves known.   Not like so many today that go out to similar situations and call it “Ghost Hunting”. 

To say I was surprised was an understatement when I was asked to take over this work from Maureen.  I felt I did not have the ability nor could live up to the high standards that Maureen set for herself in doing such a task.  But I need not have worried and Maureen was always at the other end of the phone to give me support. 

I was speaking to Maureen the other day and she asks me to pass her good wishes for the Festive Season on to all her friends that she made over the years. 

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“What is the first Christmas present you can remember?”

That was a question I was asked the other day and it took me a while to figure it out even though I still have very accurate memories of much that happened before I went to school.

The answer was a cowboy outfit, pistol and holster  when I would be three and then the following year a well made wooden farmyard which would be very expensive today,  Also metal farm animals not plastic like today...The following year it was a watch.  I had always wanted a watch and my parents told me I would not get one till I could tell the time.  They got a shock when I could tell the time perfectly before I went to school, so Santa brought me a watch for my fifth birthday.  A few days into the New Year I started school and after pestering my parents for weeks to let me be allowed to take the watch to school, they gave in.  But a few days later a letter arrived from my teacher saying that I was not to take the watch to school.   It seems I spent more time checking the time than I did concentrating on my lessons.

I found that a great exercise because not only could I see the three Christmas presents in almost perfect detail but I could even sense the joy I had in playing with and owning them.  I wonder if children today get as much fun out of their Christmas presents and if that enjoyment lasts till the following Christmas.  Today children can go into Tesco’s and The Works with their pocket money and buy a small affordable toy each week.   In the past toys usually only came around at Christmases and birthdays.

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 My favorite news story of the week was that two Scottish athletes with disabilities did themselves and Scotland proud by winning no fewer than eight gold medals from the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sport (IWAS) Senior World Championships in Sharjah, Dubai.

What makes this an even more momentous achievement is the fact that they are only 11, and 12-years-old.  The two young Scots proved themselves the best in the world at Race Running – a relatively new addition to the international arena in disability sport...  Their achievements were in the 100 meters, 200m, 400m and 800m at the event in Dubai.  And that is not all - they set world records in three of the four events.   

I always shake my head when well paid sports personalities and those of stage and screen are showered with awards, but on this occasion I feel that these two courageous youngsters should be genuinely recognized for their amazing achievements.  I will be writing to Alec Salmond to suggest that the two youngsters get recognized by their country and that funding will be increased instead of cut to clubs that take time and patience to prepare those with disabilities to fulfill their dreams.

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 Maybe send a few thoughst out to Hakamada Iwao who has spent 43-years on death row in a Japanese prison.  He was convicted of a crime he says he did not commit.  He is believed to be the world’s longest serving death row inmate.

 He was sentenced to death mainly on a confession, which he later retracted at his trial He claims he was beaten and forced to confess after twenty days intensive interrogation.

Executions in Japan are carried out in secret, and without warning to the prisoner or  his family.  So for 43-years Hakamada Iwao has not known from one day to the next when he will be executed Psychiatric examinations have shown that this prisoner has a mental illness as the result of the many years he has spent on death row.

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 May I wish everyone a MERRY CHRISTMAS...

Directions to churches.... Voluntary work.... A telling off....

The 22nd of November I had a short journey to the Neilston Spiritualist Church...  President is Sheila Carruthers who has been connected to the Spiritualist movement for many years and is an excellent medium in her own right....

23^rd ... Again only a short hop to the Paisley Spiritualist Church (SNU) which hold its services in the Glenburn Community Centre...

24^th ... A little further this time to the Balloch Spiritualist Church and it was amazing at the turn out in considering the atrocious weather conditions.

26^th.... Down to the Dumfries Spiritualist Church (SNU) and I always stop on my way down for a fish tea in Thornhill... This is one of my favourite towns...

27^th and 28^th busy with voluntary work....

30^th ... A double booking which happens from time to time so the night in did me no harm...

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 The choices open to one seeking to Voluntary work is immense and it can be rewarding in so many different ways.  Many work as volunteers because they want to give something back to the community or make a difference helping out with causes they believe in.  There are a lot of people all over the world who make a big difference in their local community and worldwide by giving up a few hours of their leisure time.  

Doing voluntary work is a chance to do something that you feel passionate about...  It can give you a chance to meet new people and add a variety of experience and skills to you.  Such good work can be done even within the confines of one’s own home, as two of my friends have found out.  I mentioned a few months ago that a friend was going to foster cats till they were rehomed or while their owners were in hospital.  Well, she opened her home to her first little lodger a month ago, and this friendly little feline will leave for a permanent home at the end of the week.  I have also another friend who is fostering two cockatiels at the moment.

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 John asks; - “Do you not get fed up with all the travelling to churches?”

Even though my travelling increases each year I have not found travelling a problem.  But there will come a time when I will and I will have to think about cutting back.  I am retired so it is not as if I am working hard all day and then having to get to a church driving through rush hour traffic.  When I was working my work was over at 1pm so I could leave early to miss heavy traffic or travel a good distance to a church.  I do feel sorry for mediums that don’t finish work till 5pm or 5.30 and then have to be at a church for 7.30. 

One has to remember a medium cannot be judged on the number of bookings he/she has a year, or the number of miles they travel to churches.  Work and family commitments play a big part in all this.  Then we have mediums who don’t drive and we all know how scarce public transport can be at nights and on a Sunday.

John’s question conjures up a few memories of travelling to churches.

Over the years I have found that many booking secretaries have not being very clear in giving directions to their churches.  In fact one booking secretary did not know her Church’s correct address and another knew little about the area surrounding her church.   I am not complaining about this as in the end I found it rather funny.

A booking secretary sent me a letter confirming my booking and giving the address of the church.  As I had never been to this area before I decided to leave early, yet I was driving into a nightmare and I was orbiting around an area one-mile from where the church actually was, for an hour.  The problem was the address on the letter heading had Road instead of Avenue, nd there was both a road and an avenue of this name, but they were a mile apart.  As it turned out I had been sitting yards from this church at 6.30 and after asking directions I was sent a mile away.  There I kept getting directed to one church after another but they were connected to almost every faith under the sun, but spiritualism.  Eventually I stopped a passing police car and the officers finally realised the mistake in the address and they not only told me to follow them to the church, they also found a parking space for me. 

I entered the church fifteen minutes late and the service had of course started with another medium.  The committee member on the door was none too pleased that I was late but immediately I showed him the address I was given his face went red and I received an apology.

Shortly after this I was in another new area to serve a church for the first time and over the phone I checked with the President three times that the address was correct.  I thought I would get into the town and then ask for directions.  Spirit must have been my navigator that day because when I did stop and ask directions I was right opposite the road the church was on.

The following week another new medium to this church got lost.  She phoned the church and was told to sit at a particular roundabout till a committee member arrive to take her to the church.   But after sitting there for an hour she gave up and went home.  The president was not too pleased the following day when he phoned her.  But it transpired it was the committee member who went to the wrong roundabout.

The trials and tribulations of travelling to churches.... But it is not always the churches to blame I have also got it wrong from time to but that’s another story...

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 I get a telling off from Jamie.

“Tom, there are more than the SNU as far as Spiritualism is concerned.  I thought that Spiritualism would be different from other religions and that different groups of your religion would be more in-tune with each other than with other religions.  But your site seems only mention the SNU which you are a member”.

You are correct Jamie, I have failed to mention other Spiritualist organizations but this has not been intentional and I will put that right in the New Year.

As a medium I serve several different spiritualist churches and never concern myself with what group churches belong too.

Wise words from Kirsty...Looking for the positive... Mrs Abe Lincoln... When we pass over...

16 November... I arrived at the Rutherglen Church with 30-seconds to spare as I misjudged my time going via Kilmarnock.  I should have gone on to the new part of the M74 after leaving the M8 but foolishly went through the city centre.  The church was extremely busy considering the terrible weather. 

17^th...My voluntary work in the morning and I attended a Spiritual discussion group in the evening.

18^th I was at the Angel Light Spiritualist Church, Daisy Street, Govanhill, Glasgow.  This is another church that could do with some support.

19^th... Our first venture at taking a table at a car-boot-sale.  Isobel with her cards and other  arts and craft items of hers.  I took along a selection of my framed prints.  This is not something we are going to do on a regular basis but we have another table booked for next month.  All profits will go to charity

20^th... A drive along the M8 to the Bathgate Christian Spiritualist Church.  This is West Lothian’s oldest Spiritualist Church, founded in 1946 and has done a lot for the local community over the years.  Their services are held in the Scout Hall, Majiorybank Street at 6.30 on Sundays.

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I asked a friend if she would like to make a contribution to this blog and Kirsty’s impute is not only seasonable especionally ponient for this particular festive season…

 A TIME FOR CELEBRATION, REFLECTION OR DOING?

 Well, it’s coming up to the festive season again. Usually we would be running around trying to get the kids their heart’s desires, even if you have to get into debt for it. Due to the recession and threatened bad weather, this year it will be a very different Christmas for us all. A lot of us will find that we will struggle with the concept of festive cheer. Everybody is having to cut down on how much to spend, coupled with extortionate heating bills, unemployment and cuts to benefits.  People we know will find that they have no money to spend on Christmas this year.

So maybe your usual routine of a traditional Christmas meal, from an expensive shop like marks and sparks, and big pressies is going to have to be scrapped but really what is the festive season all about?  As a Spiritualist you’ve probably given up the Christian reason for celebrating, however, we could all take on board the spreading of love, peace and goodwill to all mankind.  We should be doing this all year anyway but at this time we could make a special effort. We could choose the gifts we want to give our family and friends with special care; we could craft them ourselves or buy them from charity shops. As long as it’s a lovely gift people will be grateful. Maybe a bunch of pretty flowers from a supermarket or street seller, or even your own greenhouse, would be enough to bring a smile to someone’s face. And remember to give them with love.  It’s a way of saying thanks and for letting them know you’ve appreciated them being around for the past year (or years).

What about making an extra effort to write that letter, or email that’s been waiting for ages, the one that will cheer someone up when they receive it.

Are there members in your church that need a helping hand? Could you organise a welfare type team, who could find ways of helping your members, with food parcels, clothing, D.I.Y. financial gifts?  How can you call yourselves Spiritualists if you ignore the second principle “The Brotherhood of Man” and don’t support your members in need. And of course, once your team are up and running why stop at the church’s own membership? Maybe you could extend it to others.

 Charities have taken a hammering this year, many have closed, many more will close next year, many have shed jobs and all this means that their services have been cut. Charities serve our country’s most vulnerable people, where are they going to get help from now? Could you help? How about writing a letter/email of protest to your local politicians or join the campaigning group of the charity you are most concerned about. Can you give them a few hours of your time a week, can you put posters up in the community for them, can you pass on to them used stamps, printer ink cartridges, mobile phones etc that  they can turn into cash, can you do sponsored events, or bag packs? Can you work in a soup kitchen over Christmas? The possibilities are endless. Even if you only want to be involved over Christmas, what a wonderful example you would be giving your family and I’m sure you will feel so good afterwards, and all it will have cost is your time.

Please don’t feel bad because you have had to reduce your Festive spending. You are not alone. Be creative but realistic, alternatives are out there. Please don’t get into debt to keep up appearances. Kids might moan because they didn’t get the latest thing, but a few specially chosen inexpensive gifts and lots of love should win them round in the end.

Kirsty…

Kirsty will be back in the last blog of the year.

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 A lady was telling me the other day that for many years she and three of her friends meet up for a coffee once a week.  It suddenly dawned on them after all these years that they mostly sit and moan about the negative things that has happened around them in the past week.  So they decided that at each meeting from now on they will mention something positive that they have been aware of since they last met.  At first they found it hard and all admitted that on the day before they would meet up they were scrambling to find something positive that was going on around them.  Now it has becomes second nature to them to look for the positive as well as the negative that goes on around them.  Maybe something we could all try…

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        A Curious Story About Mrs. Lincoln Reiterated.

From the Boston Herald, Feb. 23, 1872

Reprinted in New York Times, Feb. 24, 1872

A few days ago a paragraph in the Herald, based upon what was known to be good authority, announced that Mrs. Abraham Lincoln had recently visited Boston, and incognito and closely veiled attended a public séance of a well known lady medium on Washington street, on which occasion the spirit of her lamented husband appeared and, by unmistakable manifestations, revealed to all present the identity of Mrs. Lincoln, which she had attempted to keep secret. We have now the best authority for saying that the report was in all respects accurate; that Mrs. Lincoln did visit Boston on the 4h inst.; that she took lodgings at the Parks House, registering her name as Mrs. Linder; that she remained there ten days, during which time she made frequent visits to the medium above mentioned, and that while at the hotel, her identity was discovered by a person who had often seen her in Washington. She desired to have her visit to Boston unknown, but the injunction of secrecy ceased to be binding after the revelation at the public séance. It is further stated by those in a position to know, that the interviews with the medium were of the most satisfactory and conclusive nature, as affording tests of the real presence of the spirit of her husband.

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 Several of you have asked “What do Spiritualists believe happens to us after we die?”

 When we make our transition into the realm of Spirit, we leave our physical body behind but our personality survives, and we continue to exist in the Spirit World.  We are still who we were in physical life, but without physical bodies. Our placement on those inner planes follows the Universal Law of Attraction, our thoughts, words and deeds from our physical plane existence determines where we will be. Our course of development on the inner planes is determined by our desires.