The Princess Victoria: 70 years on

1953 saw the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the first documented ascent of Mount Everest (by Edmund Hillary) and the discovery of the DNA double helix. More significant than any of those for our own part of the world however was the loss of the Princess Victoria. Seventy years on, the horror of the deadliest UK maritime disaster since WWII has not lessened – nor have the stories of bravery been forgotten. A painting of the disaster by Norman Whitla, a minister I had the privilege of knowing, provides a vivid portrayal of the disaster. The painting shows lifeboat number four, containing women and children, about to be dashed against the side of the ship. As a result, only men survived the disaster. 135 perished, and only 44 survived. Those who lost their lives included the Deputy Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, the MP for North Down – and 23 people from Stranraer. Communities on both sides of the Irish sea were rocked by the events of that day – and have not forgotten them. A BBC programme made to mark the fortieth anniversary was entitled ‘Things don’t happen to boats like this’. And yet, tragically, they did.

So how do we reflect on this disaster seventy years on?  

Well surely we are right to remember and highlight the bravery of many on that day. As the 30,000-page report concluded, ‘If the Princess Victoria had been as staunch as those who manned her, then all would have been well and the disaster averted’. The bravery of the captains and crew of ships who responded to the Victoria’s SOS message – including those who dived into the water to help survivors – was also acknowledged by the awarding of medals.

No doubt many from that day down to ours have asked the question ‘Where was God on 31st January 1953’? Did Jesus not calm a storm when he was on earth? Leaving experienced fishermen – who had been terrified by the storm – even more scared to see it instantly cease when he spoke. Could he not have done it again?

It all brings to mind another January maritime disaster – the sinking of the HMY Iolaire at the entrance to Stornoway harbour on 1 January 1919. The Iolaire (Gaelic for Eagle) was bringing sailors who had fought in WWI home to the Isle of Lewis when she hit rocks and sank. At least 201 of the 283 on board perished – of whom 181 were islanders. Almost an entire generation of young men was lost.

The people of Lewis erected a memorial to the disaster in 1958. On it are the words of Psalm 77:19 in Gaelic – ‘Your way was through the sea, your path through the great waters; yet your footprints were unseen’. It was an acknowledgement that even in such a disaster, God was still sovereign. That even though his ways are often unseen to us, that doesn’t mean he is absent.

And surely we can say the same about the 31st of January 1953. The very fact that seventy years later we still remember it shows how valuable we consider human life to be. If, as we’re often told, human life is no different from animal life, why bother remembering? If life is really about the survival of the fittest, why do we believe that those who risked – or even gave – their lives to save others, did the morally right thing?

What is the greatest expression of love? It’s a question that evolution cannot answer.

But the Bible’s answer is: ‘Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends’.

Jesus Christ – the one who uttered those words – demonstrated exactly what that sort of love looked like by going to the cross. As Jesus hung on the cross, it looked like God was absent. Jesus himself cried out ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’

And yet while it looked for all the world like God was absent – as it did 70 years ago too – he was anything but. He was making a way for us to be reconciled to him.

In a sense we could say that humanity at its best was seen on 31st January 1953. In the bravery displayed and the selfless sacrifice shown. Humanity at its best reflects the image of our maker. And yet it still falls short of his glory.

But on the cross, the Son of God in his perfect, sinless humanity, gave his life that we might believe in him and live with him forever.

Published in the Stranraer & Wigtownshire Free Press, 26 January 2023

Gambia Update

Last month, after our monthly church lunch, Rev. Stephen McCollum (Airdrie) gave an update on our church’s mission work in the Gambia. At the last meeting of the RPCS Presbytery, having passed his final exams, Mr Sylvester Konteh was licensed to preach the gospel. He was then presented with, and subsequently accepted, a call to serve as organising minister of a Reformed Presbyterian congregation in Brikama, under the oversight of the RPCS Presbytery. You can read more about this on the RPCS website.

A video interview with Sylvester had been recorded to be shown at these update meetings, and you can watch it below:

Our own minister, Stephen, was one of those appointed by Presbytery to serve as an interim elder of the Brikama congregation, until the congregation is organised and they are able to ordain local elders. Stephen is currently serving as Interim Moderator as the session interview prospective church members over Zoom.

The plan is for Sylvester to be ordained and the congregation organised in May, with Revs. Stephen McCollum and Peter Loughridge travelling to The Gambia for the occasion.

Long term our prayer is to see the organisation of a new denomination - The Reformed Presbyterian Church of The Gambia.

Tribute to Paul McCauley

On Wednesday, Stephen had the opportunity to speak at St. Ninian’s at the funeral of Paul McCauley. Paul worshipped with us from November 2021 until his sudden death 13 months later. As a congregation we are still in shock at his sudden death, and yet we’re grateful for the evidence we saw of God’s grace in Paul’s life. You can listen to what Stephen said here (audio slightly muffled):

Paul McCauley tribute

Stephen Steele

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Can you live without it?

What would be on your Christmas list if you could choose ten things and money was no object? In the lead-up to the World Cup, GQ magazine asked a number of famous footballers to name ‘Ten things you can’t live without’. Those they interviewed included Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk, Germany winger Serge Gnabry, and England trio Declan Rice, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Bukayo Saka. You can watch the results on YouTube. Some of the answers are predictable – football boots, trainers, fancy watches, and iPads for watching TV shows while travelling. There were also an eye-opening amount of grooming products mentioned!

One item most people wouldn’t have expected to be included was a Bible. However that’s exactly what Arsenal and England’s Bukayo Saka pulled out. He said that he tries to read it every night before he goes to bed. Sakha’s interview has currently been watched almost 2 million times, and that quote was picked up on at a press conference in Qatar. Earlier this month a journalist asked Saka if he was still reading his Bible every night. The 21-year old replied that he was, because it was ‘really important’ to always have the presence of God in his life. ‘The main thing for me’, he said ‘is having faith in God’.

For me, one of the great joys I have is seeing people who would never have picked up a Bible in a million years, starting to read it. To see homes in this community where there is now a Bible for the first time. To see people’s new-found enthusiasm as they read a physical copy of the Bible, read it on their phones, or listen to it. Not because Bible reading is an end in itself, but because it points us to Jesus. ‘The Scriptures’, Jesus said, ‘bear witness about me’. That includes not just the parts of the Bible written after he was born – but also the parts written beforehand. In fact, some of the most familiar parts of the Christmas story were written seven centuries before Jesus was born: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son’…’Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given…of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end’. The same prophet – Isaiah – also described in detail Jesus’ death in the place of his people and explained what it would all be about: ‘by his wounds, we are healed’ (Isaiah 53:5).

When he was interviewed on Desert Island Discs a number of years ago, Comedian Lee Mack said it was an odd thing that people didn’t read the Bible. One of the questions those on the show are asked is which book they would take to a desert island, along with the Bible and the works of Shakespeare. Mack said this about the Bible: ‘I'm glad you get the Bible, because I would read the Bible. I think it's quite odd that people like myself, in their forties, are quite happy to dismiss the Bible, but I've never read it. I always think that if an alien came down and you were the only person they met, and they said, “What’s life about? What’s earth about? Tell us everything,” and you said, “Well, there's a book here that purports to tell you everything. Some people believe it to be true; some people do not believe it to be true.” “Wow, what’s it like?” and you go, “I don’t know, I’ve never read it.” It would be an odd thing, wouldn't it? So, at the very least, read it.’

So let me give you an invitation for 2023: Would you be willing to read the Bible with me? One of my fellow football chaplains, John MacKinnon (Clyde FC), works for an organisation called ‘The Word One to One’. They produce little booklets containing John’s Gospel, divided up into different ‘episodes’. The idea is that two people will sit down together, for 30 minutes at a time, to read through this New Testament book which explains who Jesus is and why he came. Some helpful explanatory notes are included, as well as some questions to help get discussion going.

If meeting up seems too daunting, I can just give you a copy of the first booklet, and it will serve as a guided read through of John chapter 1. Or just look up the gospel of John or Mark online. In the words of Lee Mack – ‘at the very least, read it’. You might be surprised!

Published in the Stranraer & Wigtownshire Free Press, 29 December 2022