Back from Scotland

I took several hundred pictures in Scotland and no one image sums up the entire trip. The one at left is as good as any for the public. Perhaps one of food or of someone doing a particular chore might say something to those of us that flew the 6,000 odd miles might do the trick. This is a piece of the main castle in down town Edinburgh, which is strategically located on the highest ground; a piece of volcanic rock.

I decided to tell a series of small stories rather than one big story. I did journal each day, so I am sure I have enough to go for a while.

Suffice it to say we got back safely and on time thanks to Continental Airlines. We had great flights and they even fed us the old traditional airline food winging both ways over the Atlantic.

We worked hard, met some great people and some characters, saw sights, laughed, danced, ate, drank and took communion at Wednesday noon services at Richmond Craigmillar Church.

Let me explain the name. The area of Craigmillar was a small community outside of Edinburgh (pronounced Ed-in-burr-a) that was delineated by the area around Craigmillar Castle. The community of Richmond was in another part of Edinburgh and it was torn down and all the residents moved to the Craigmillar area. They got to keep their community name. Thus we have Richmond Craigmillar Church (Church of Scotland.)

The church was built in 1934 (two minutes ago as compared to the castle which was built in the 16th century.) In the past two years all the housing, every brick, was torn down within a three block or so area surrounding the church. So, today the church sits in a field alone surrounded by harrowed up ground. Beyond the 3 block perimeter is housing, an elementary school and some businesses. It is urban re-development, Edinburgh style of 2008.

We went to help spruce up the church and its grounds. Some pictures will follow that tell that story.