Murdoch and Anne MacKenzie
  • In Memoriam Murdoch MacKenzie
  • Funeral, Thanksgiving, Family Reflections & Obituaries
    • The Funeral Service
    • The Thanksgiving Service
    • Family Reflections
    • Scotsman Obituary
    • Guardian Obituary
    • Peter Millar Obituary
    • Related Obituary Websites
  • Murdoch's Ancestral Grave
  • Introduction to the Website
  • St Andrew's Bicentenary
  • Bossey (Switzerland)
    • Bossey Students' Projects
    • Images of Student Life
    • Leaving Bossey
  • Christmas & Advent Letters
    • Advent Letter 2014
    • Christmas Letter 2012
    • Christmas Letter 2011
    • Christmas Letter 2010
    • Christmas Letter 2009
    • Christmas Letter 2007
    • Christmas Letter 2006
    • Christmas Letter 2005
  • India
    • Kirkspire Articles Chennai >
      • Village Project in India
      • How it All Began
      • What Happened Next
      • Our Social Worker
      • Independence Day
      • Rural Development
      • Some Setbacks 1976
      • Up-Beat Assessment
      • Rural Project Visit
      • Integrated Development
      • Caledonian Chair
      • Symbols as Signs
      • Stargazers
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      • The Eagle Lectern
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      • The Baptismal Font
      • Newbigin Centenary
      • Love Nature as Yourself
    • The Riber Memorial Centre >
      • The Origins
      • The Official Opening
      • The Rev Harold N Riber
    • Rev Roy Manson: An Appreciation
    • Rev Roy Newell: A Tribute
    • A Gift of a Chalice
    • Acorns into Oaks
    • The God of Small Things
    • A Week in the Life of a Missionary Family
    • Bishop Lesslie Newbigin
    • Video of Bishop Newbigin
    • Christmas Letter 2010
    • New Year in Chennai
    • Pilgrimage to India
    • Images of St Andrew's Kirk
  • Lectures
    • People not Paper
    • Methodist Synod Lecture
    • Christianity Must Change
    • Maitland Memorial 2004
  • Macdonald Collection
    • Video of the Collection
    • Murdoch's Inventory
  • Meditations
    • Roots and Fruits
    • St Colm's Reunion 2006
  • Moderator's Letters
    • 1998 >
      • Home Thoughts from Abroad
    • 2001 >
      • Creation & Environment
      • Evangelism
      • Unjust Structures
      • Christian Aid
      • A Roundtable
      • Unjust Debt
      • Christian Normality
      • Partnership for Mission
      • Remembrance
      • Christmas
    • 2002 >
      • Vocation
      • Prayer
      • Organic Unity
      • Christian Aid
      • Venerable David Goldie
      • Personal Covenant
      • Christian Declaration
      • Book that Reads Me
      • Terrorism
      • Palestine
    • 2003 >
      • Yuppies
  • Oban FM Broadcasts
    • Thought for the Day >
      • 2010 May 2
      • 2010 August 1
      • 2010 December 19
      • 2011 March 13
      • 2012 May 1
      • 2012 June 9
      • 2012 September 9
    • Sunday Broadcasts >
      • 2011 July 17
      • 2011 August 28
      • 2011 November 27
      • 2012 November 11
      • 2013 January 27
      • 2013 March 3
      • 2013 June 9
  • Occasional Papers
    • Coracle Summer 2014
    • On Being an Elephant
    • Meaning of 'Naturally'
    • Expedition to Wales
    • Four in a Boat
    • Trotternish Thesis
  • Photo Galleries
    • Golden Wedding 2014
    • The Ascent of Ben Nevis
    • The MacKenzie Family
    • The Road to the Isles
    • Images of St Andrew's Kirk
    • Family Tree
  • Poetry
    • Under Hallwood
    • Tennyson Travels
    • Father's Day Hymn
  • Reflections
    • Appin and Lismore 2007
    • Hugh Drummond
    • United Nationas Day 2012
    • Fair's Fair
    • Advent 2012
    • St Colm's College 1965
    • Trick Or Treat
    • Leipzig Group 2012
    • Bishop Lesslie Newbigin
    • The Iraq War
    • Good Friday Meditation
    • Christingles
  • Reports
    • Justice and Diversity
  • Reviews
    • From Crisis to Creation
    • Every Blessed Thing
    • Seeing the Good
    • Christian Faith Today
    • Finding Hope Again
    • Mission in the 21st Century
    • Pentecostalism South India
    • Axis of Peace
    • Living Spirituality
    • Mission Partnership
  • Sermons
    • Oban Cathedral >
      • Oban: Good Friday 2003
      • Oban: Good Friday 2005
      • Oban: Good Friday 2009
      • Oban: Good Friday 2010
      • Oban: Good Friday 2012
      • Oban: Good Friday 2013
    • Milton Keynes Farewell
    • St Oran's May 2013
    • St Oran's Maundy Thursday
    • Orchy & Bridge of Orchy
    • Muckairn Church 2013
    • St Cuthbert's Edinburgh
    • About Prayer
    • Trinity Sunday 2005
    • Trinity Sunday 2012
    • Taynuilt October 2012
    • Racial Justice 2002
    • Racial Justice 2004
    • Iona Abbey 2006
    • New Year in Chennai
  • Travels
    • Madras to Edinburgh
    • Children's Journey to the UK
  • Useful Links
  • Copyright
This Collection of his Writings and Photographs is a Memorial to the Life and Work of Murdoch MacKenzie              

LETTER FROM THE ECUMENICAL MODERATOR 

the book that reads me

MURDOCH MACKENZIE
october 2002


Dear Friends

There are many things about which I would like to write this month such as The Week of Prayer for World Peace, One World Week and the situation in Iraq and the Middle East. Those who know me will realise the passion and commitment with which I am concerned, as a follower of Christ, about matters of justice and peace. Indeed someone rang me up recently and asked: ' Are you a pacifist because you are a member of the Iona Community ?' My reply was: 'No, I am a pacifist because of a man called Jesus who has called me to follow him.' I added: 'It's in the Bible.'

Under-girding and overriding all the concerns which we have in this life is the Word of God which encounters us through the pages of Scripture. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu said: 'Those people who say Christianity and politics don't mix are not reading the same Bible as me!' This year Bible Sunday falls on 27th October which for this reason can be viewed as one of the most important Sundays in the year. The Bible Society has a wide range of visual and audio materials which we can use on notice boards, outside the church, in our homes and in our services of worship. Of particular importance apart from the reading of the Word and its application through our sermons on Sundays, is our allowing the Bible to nourish our lives at home day by day. Unless we eat and drink from the words of Scripture our spiritual lives will simply starve. Here in Milton Keynes we have a marvellous opportunity for all those who would like to open up their way of living to the changes which Scripture can bring. This is provided in a gentle and winsome way through the Training Commission and its new Director, Revd Peter Ballantine, as well as through the excellent library which we have at The Well at Willen. People can join in the ongoing programmes at any time and there are many whose lives have been changed, refreshed, deepened and renewed simply through a deeper appreciation of what the Bible is about. I do not think it is any exaggeration to say that the life of society would be transformed if people were to read the Bible. Peter can be contacted on 605892.

In Isaiah 55:10-11 we read: 'For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and return not thither but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth. It shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for which I sent it.' The story is told of an African woman who took great pains to learn to read and write and who then refused to read anything else except the Bible. She carried it about with her everywhere she went and when asked why she didn't read any other books her reply was: 'Oh yes, there are plenty of other books which I could read, but there is only one book which reads me !'

In Matthew 7:24-27 we read that Jesus said: 'Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock, and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand, and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.' Jesus also said: 'Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.' (Matthew 24:35) And these words will speak to us and inspire us in the Week of Prayer for World Peace, in One World Week and in the situation in Iraq and the Middle East, as nothing else will, if we will only let them do so.

So let us pray this month for the work of the Bible Society. Let us make Sunday 27th a very special day in each of our churches and may the Word of God be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.

May God bless us and inspire us all this month.

Murdoch MacKenzie

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