Kirking of the Council

I attended the Kirking of Argyll & Bute Council in the United Church of Bute in Rothesay this morning. This is the Minister of the Church, the Rev Owain Jones, outside the lovely 18th century (though modernised) building which was formerly the High Kirk of Rothesay.

The Kirking of a Council or a Parliament is not uncommon after an election. It simply means that the elected members attend the church for prayer and dedication of their work and organisation.

This one was unusual though as no Kirking had been held in Rothesay since the 11th of May 1975 , when the last burgh council was elected. However as local councillor Isobel Strong is now the Provost of Argyll & Bute she had requested that the kirking take place on the island this year.

Kirking of the local representatives in Rothesay may go back to the establishment of the Royal Burgh in 1401 (the granting of Rothesay's Charter by Robert III in that year could be the first occasion that the term "Royal Burgh" is found in Scotland) so it was a great honour to be part of it today and to process with the Councillors in to the Kirk.

It was also very good to hear such a fine, thoughtful and positive sermon from Owain Jones. His good natured but profound reflection on the role of elected members, the pressures on them and the their relationship to their electorate and to the church (and the churches relationship to politics) was worth hearing and worth reflecting on. It certainly spoke to me and he was good enough to allow me to "blip" him after it was all over.