From the minister

I grew up in a village split down the middle. The main road that ran right through the heart of Dundonald was only about seven yards wide, but it could have been seven miles wide, or an ocean or a mountain range, because the gulf between the two was huge. People on either side of the road had a terrible distrust for one another and they defined themselves as being not like those on the other side.

When the better weather and light nights came round, some of the villagers’ differences were laid aside and those young and daft enough would join forces to ride out and fight the next village. Incidentally, that was Dreghorn where Donald Campbell (minister at Dumfries St George’s) is from - you’ll be pleased to hear your ministers didn’t get involved!

Dreghorn and Dundonald were much the same: same demographics, same major employers; same people just a different village. But for no reason, or some reason now unknown and lost in history, we fought.

I went over the hill to Marr College for my secondary schooling; it gathered people from outlying villages and different areas of Troon. There were fights there, too, between different geographical groups.

What is it with us that we choose to fall out with and fight and distrust and bad-mouth and resent our neighbours whose only difference from us is the accident of whatever side of the road, whatever village, whatever side of the hill you happen to live on?

When I was wee I wasn’t one for going to church much, but one thing that I did notice was that the church in Dundonald drew its members from both sides of the road (it was about the only body in the community that managed to do this successfully).

God knows human nature is to tear apart and that is why he encourages us to put our differences (real or imagined) behind us as members of his new community. In the Bible letter called Galatians it says of the church ‘there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, between slaves and free people, between men and women, you are all one in union with Christ Jesus’.

I really hope the same can be said for St Mary’s-Greyfriars’ Parish Church. We are a united congregation seeking to enable everyone to draw near and worship God. We are one church among many in this town and we are all part of the body of Christ. So as we enter into a new session of the church year, let’s make a point of breaking down any barriers that divide and move on as one body together to love God, love our neighbour and grow in Christ.

Jamie Milliken