Tuesday night was a milestone night for me. The College organised a retirement dinner to celebrate my years as Principal of the Scottish Baptist College. (This cake shows me in characteristic pose speaking lots of words!)
These have been eleven years of hard work, ministry fulfilment, richly rewarded by the evidence of students discovering the transforming power of theological study, formative learning, practical training and all this in a shared community focused on God, open to the Holy Spirit, centred on Christ, and committed to finding out what it means to follow faithfully after Jesus.
It was for me a night when I felt humbled and proud, and hopefully each of these at the appropriate moments. To hear the testimony of students to their own decisive shaping and self-discovery during their time at College, was reason enough for gladness and gratitude. That they were willing to speak so warmly and gratefully about my own role in that process was more than enough reason for humility undergirded by a sense of immense privilege, and if it is ever right to be proud, then yes, that too. But only in the sense of feeling that whatever I had offered as gift to them was hardly adequate to the trust they had shown in entursting their training for ministry into our care, a deep gratitude to God for all that has been accomplished in the learning and teaching, shaping and forming, that is the core commitment of our College.
I was able to pay tribute to a remarkable group of people who serve the Scottish Baptist College – Rev Dr Stuart Blythe, who is now acting Principal, Rev Ian Birch, lecturer in biblical studies and much else, Joyce Holloway, Bursar and PA to the Principal, Isabella Stevenson, promotions and publicity, Rev Dr Edward Burrows and Frances Addis who together look after our library. The fun and banter, the commitment and dedication, the care for each other and for the students, have made our College a healthy place of learning and teaching which is student centred in its ethos and goal.
I was presented with a magnificent framed silk painting of the Paisley skyline, a glass clock and a cheque, three gifts, the three-ness may or may not be related to my known preference for all things Trinitarian! The frame was too big to fit in a full car so it will be brought home next week – and I'll post a picture of it then. And Sheila was given a stunning orchid bowl which now sits in tropical splendour at our fireplace!
I will continue teaching one day a week at the College in the coming year, but once the dust settles, will take time to reflect, to read, think and pray, before deciding what might be the next stages of ministry and service, within the church and beyond.
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