9 December 2024
Good morning,
This evening, it’s the turn of alumni to gather for a Carol Service. This will be in St Salvator’s Chapel at 7 pm. The Renaissance Singers will offer choral interludes, and the Assistant Chaplain Revd Giles Dove will reflect on the words of prophecy, And a little child shall lead them. All are welcome at the service – not only alumni. The service will be livestreamed – https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/chaplaincy/worship/ . If you would like to go to the reception afterwards, you can organise tickets here – https://events.st-andrews.ac.uk/events/st-andrews-alumni-carol-service-2024/
We also continue the daily story behind today’s window in the Advent Calendar.
Feathers
Part 9
The story so far: Maryam has shared the news of her pregnancy with Joe, who responded by breaking off with her.
Joe couldn’t sleep that night. The same thoughts kept swirling round his mind no matter how hard he tried to banish them. He’d been a fool – but she had been so lovely – the baby couldn’t be his, could it? – of course not – but then, whose? – but she said nobody’s – and she’d always been so honest – he’d been a fool – but she had been so lovely…
His clock showed 2:17 and he was wide awake. He went out for a walk to clear his head. His feet took him down into the town, past the Vic where they’d first met and towards the West Sands where he thought he’d find the space he needed. As he turned at Auchterlonie’s towards the R&A, his eye caught the shop-window video. There was a golfer in white speaking from the screen to the empty street.
“Hey Joe!”
Joe walked on – odd that the video used his name.
“Joseph Davidson, come back! I want to talk to you.”
It was so weird that Joe did walk back until he was in front of the window.
The guy looked like any pro golfer, slim, cheerful, wearing an AG baseball cap. He continued, “Thank you Joe. I know you think you did the right thing this afternoon, but you need to think again.”
Joe looked all around him. There was nobody else in sight, just the distant sound of a spring tide beating against the West Sands. So this is what happened when you broke up and had a few drinks and couldn’t sleep – you went crazy. Well, might as well roll with it.
“What do you know about this afternoon?”
“I know what Maryam told you and how you reacted.”
“What’s it got to do with you?”
“Quite a bit. And that’s what I’m here to tell you. Stick with Maryam – she’s going to need a good man like you by her side. She was telling the truth in the Lade Braes; she’s going to have a baby, and no, it’s not from hooking up with a student. It’s the Holy Spirit made this happen. And when the kid is born, you’ll call him Josh.”
Portofino at night
Yours,
Donald.
Revd Dr Donald MacEwan
Chaplain