Thomas Baldwin reports on the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

A former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has been made an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

The Very Rev Dr Lorna Hood has been recognised for her ‘exceptional and long service to the Church of Scotland and promoting tolerance and understanding’ through raising awareness of the Srebrenica massacre.

Dr Hood, who lives in Paisley with her

husband Peter, said she was ‘gobsmacked’

but delighted with the award.

She first visited Srebrenica in 2013 when she was Moderator, visiting the site of the massacre where 8000 people were killed, and met the mothers of some of the victims. On her return, she helped found the Scottish Board of Remembering Srebrenica, to raise awareness about the worst atrocity on European soil since World War Two.

She said: “I am gobsmacked and totally taken aback that I have been made an OBE. I am slightly embarrassed to be honest but it is an honour and a privilege to the chair of the board.

“I am dedicating the award to the Mothers of Srebrenica, an amazing group, and those who bravely talk about the rape camps.

“It is an immense privilege to be able to take people out to Srebrenica to meet with survivors and hear their stories. It is so important that we share them in Scotland to tackle hatred and intolerance because if genocide can happen there, it can happen everywhere.”

Dr Hood retired as minister of Renfrew Parish Church after 37 years last October.

In the same awards, long-serving editor of Life and Work’s Gaelic Supplement, the Rev Dr Roddy MacLeod, was made an MBE.

Dr MacLeod, who is 76, said he was ‘surprised and flattered’ to be informed of the honour, which is for services to Gaelic and the community.

He has edited Na Duilleagan Gàidhlig since 1980, only the fifth man to hold the position since it was founded in January 1880.

Dr MacLeod said: “I think the Supplement’s been very important over the years, and it still is. People use it, not just to read but it’s used in Gaelic classes. It still has an important role to play.”

A native of North Uist, he began his ministry on the island of Bernera before moving on to Cumlodden, Lochfyneside and Lochgair, in Argyll and Bute, where he stayed until retirement in 2011. He still lives in the area with his wife, Jean.

Lynne McNeil, editor of Life and Work, said: “I am delighted to hear of the recognition for Roddy’s unstinting contribution and commitment to the Gaelic language through his long-standing and fruitful work with the Gaelic Supplement of Life and Work.”

Gaelic-speaking former Moderator of the General Assembly, the Very Rev Dr Angus Morrison, said: “Over many years, Dr Macleod has served with distinction and grace in a variety of roles.

“To many, he is best known for his contribution, in various contexts, though the medium of Gaelic.

“An outstanding scholar, communicator and preacher in the language, his work demonstrates both love for the Gaidhealtachd and extensive knowledge of its history, Dr Macleod’s editorship of Na Duilleagan Gàidhlig over many years has been highly effective.”

A Lanarkshire church elder and former Boys’ Brigade Captain has been awarded the British Empire Medal.

Jimmy Anderson (right), 88, has been given the honour for a lifetime of voluntary service to the village of Stonehouse.

Mr Anderson was brought up in the East End of Glasgow, but moved to Stonehouse in the 1950s after marriage to a local girl, May. Not long after his arrival, he volunteered as an Officer in the recently formed Boys’ Brigade Company, becoming Captain soon afterwards – a position he held for over 60 years.

He was ordained an Elder of Stonehouse Church while still in his early 20s, serving as the congregation’s Presbytery representative and, and representing the congregation at the General Assembly.

The Rev Roddy MacLeod is retiring from Na Duilleagan Gàidhlig. Anyone with an interest in succeeding him either as Editor or co-ordinator of a team of contributors should note interest with Lynne McNeil at lrobertson@lifeandwork.org by August 31.

MODERATOR PRAISES BRITAIN’S ‘FUNDAMENTAL HUMANITY AND DECENCY’ AFTER TERROR ATTACKS

The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has said that ‘there is good cause to despair at times’ after the series of terrible incidents which dominated the news in May and June.

However, the Rt Rev Dr Derek Browning added that we should give thanks for the ‘acts of bravery and kindness’ which followed the Manchester, London Bridge and Finsbury Park terrorist attacks, and the Grenfell Tower fire.

Dr Browning, who was in London at the time of the fire, said: “There is a sense, for some, that we lurch from one horrific situation to another. In this smokeblackened, knife-ripped, bomb-blasted world where is the hope, where is the peace, where is the light, where is the love?

“As I travelled back from London to Edinburgh by train reflecting on all the events of these last weeks, I looked at the rolling green of the British countryside, and the life-rich cities, towns and villages of our nation.

“Our land is held together by many bonds of culture and history. There are differences and divisions too, but underneath even the greatest of divides there is a fundamental humanity and decency, the greatest fundamental. It has led to acts of bravery and kindness. It has led to understanding and generosity.

“For those of us shaped and motivated by faith we see in the brokenness of these times the resilience and the kindliness of God. We also see the resolve to address the unfairness and prejudice of our society.

“God knows our Church and our world are far from perfect, and there is good cause to despair at times. Yet the renewing green of our countryside and the life-rich cities, towns and villages speak of real people, getting on with real lives, making a real difference. For that, at all times, we give thanks.”

DISABILITIES CONFERENCE

The annual conference of the Scottish Churches Disability Group (SCDG) will focus on positive ways of breaking through barriers which sometimes prevent people with disabilities from full participation in worship and community life in churches.

The conference takes place at Dalziel St Andrew’s Church, Motherwell, on September 30. The format will be a series of conversations with people with personal experience of learning disabilities, hearing and sight loss and other disabilities.

For further information and a booking form, contact SCDG Secretary, Barbara Graham, at Barbara.graham74@btinternet.com or call 01563 522108.

GAELIC EDITOR/COORDINATOR SOUGHT

The Rev Roddy MacLeod is retiring this month from Na Duilleagan Gàidhlig’. Anyone with an interest in succeeding him either as Editor or co-ordinator of a team of contributors should note interest with Lynne McNeil at lrobertson@lifeandwork.org by August 31

LEARNING DISABILITIES RESOURCE

A new free resource has been launched by the Church of Scotland to help congregations in their ministry with people with learning disabilities.

The Learning Disability Action Pack has been produced by the Learning Disability Working Group, part of the Mission and Discipleship Council.

The working group convener, Mary Ritchie, said: “We put this Action Pack together to be a fun and interactive step by step guide for everyday folk.

“It takes you from first questions about making church better for those with learning disabilities, through finding out about your own church and community to deciding what best fits your hopes and resources to hosting your first events, having your first conversations or making your first small changes. It is a truly inspirational and really helpful free resource.”

The pack will be sent out to every congregation in the Church of Scotland, and will be available as a download. For further information contact Hannah Sanderson, congregational learning development worker, on 0131 225 5722 or email hsanderson@churchofscotland.org.uk

‘HOMELESS JESUS’ COMING TO GLASGOW

A sculpture depicting Jesus as a homeless man is to be installed in Glasgow city centre.

Canadian artist Timothy P Schmaltz’s sculpture shows a figure sleeping on a bench, covered in a blanket. His face is covered, but there are nail marks in his exposed feet.

A planning application for a cast of the statue, to be placed near St George’s Tron Church, was approved by Glasgow City Council in June. The application was made in partnership with St George’s Tron and Glasgow Churches Together, and follows two years of work after the artist approached Father Willy Slavin, former chairman of Emmaus Glasgow.

The Rev Alastair Duncan, transition minister at St George’s Tron, said that the church was an appropriate location as it is actively engaged with helping the homeless.

Mr Duncan said: “I thought it was an interesting, provocative and yet sensitive piece that addresses the whole question of our responsibility as Christians to identify with the least and the lowest, and to see their care as a priority – ‘what you do for the least of these you do for me’.”

HUNGER CALL

The Church of Scotland has called for action on child hunger, after a new UNICEF report found that children in the UK are more likely to go hungry than those in other European countries.

The report found that one in five children in the United Kingdom is at risk of hunger compared to an average of one in eight in other wealthy countries. The UK scored 34th out of 41 countries on the report’s food insecurity index.

The Rev Martin Johnstone, Secretary of the Church of Scotland’s Church and Society Council, and chair of the Scottish Government’s Independent Working Group on Food Poverty, said: “These are not simply statistics; they represent children with names, faces and all too often empty stomachs.

“Foodbanks, breakfast clubs and community meals do a spectacular job trying to alleviate this crisis but we need to recognise that the fundamental problem is about the lack of money that families have to feed themselves.”

ABSEIL RAISES £26,000

May’s abseil in aid of the Church of Scotland’s social care work, including the ‘Three Formers’, raised more than £26,000.

The Very Rev Dr John Chalmers, the Very Rev Dr Russell Barr, and Peter Bailey – respectively the former Principal Clerk, Moderator of the General Assembly and Chief Executive of CrossReach – were joined by 15 other CrossReach supporters abseiling the 165 feet off the Forth Bridge.

The money will go to support the work of CrossReach – the Church’s social care arm – with young people and families.

WOMEN IN THE WORLD CHURCH CONFERENCE

The World Mission Council of the Church of Scotland and the Centre of World Christianity at the University of Edinburgh will next month (September) host a conference focussing on women in the world church.

The conference will take place at the University of Edinburgh on September 16 and will feature Professor Kwok Pui Lan, a distinguished theologian, who will deliver the Duff Missionary lecture entitled “Women, Mission, and World Christianity”. There will also be presentations from the Rev Rola Sleiman, the first ordained minister in the Middle East who is a pastor of the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon; Dr Nosheen Khan from Church of Pakistan; Professor Isabel Phiri, Depute General Secretary of the World Council of Churches and Nuam Hutzaw, a Burmese student studying at the university.

The event will be held in the Martin Hall, New College, University of Edinburgh from 10.30am -3.30pm.

To register please email wmoutreach@churchofscotland.org.uk

Life and Work staff are available for talks to Guilds and other church groups.

Please contact us through 0131 225 5722 or magazine@lifeandwork.org