Good afternoon. The first item of business is time for reflection. Our time for reflection leader today is the Right Rev Dr Shaw James Paterson, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.
Presiding Officer, thank you for the invitation to speak and lead this brief time of reflection. I bring with me the good news and the good wishes of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and also a word of thanks for the way that you support the faith communities and so many other groups, charities and organisations around the country—it is much appreciated.
Many of us grew up hearing about and learning the three Rs: reading, writing and arithmetic—I wonder who thought all those words began with the letter R. This afternoon, I am going to talk about the three Bs. My theme for the year is building together—not bricks and mortar, but building people together. The next B that I am going to mention is barriers, and breaking barriers. Too often, our society focuses on what divides us rather than what we have in common. My final B is budget. There are limited financial resources, but if they are used wisely, we can break down barriers and we can build communities. However, the greatest resource that we have is the people whom we are called to serve.
Over the past 10 months, I have travelled the length and breadth of Scotland and have been amazed at the good news stories that are out there. Communities, groups and individuals are caring for others. I have witnessed local people putting the three Bs into action, often with little recognition and little news coverage. I could be here all afternoon if I spoke about the open hearts, open minds and open doors that we all recognise and take pride in.
The great commandment to love our neighbour is something we all recognise. Scotland has a long history of welcoming our neighbours, including refugees, asylum seekers and Ukrainians seeking a safe place—the list is endless. Caring for the poor and the marginalised is central to the worlds of faith and politics, which I do not see as separate entities, as I will say at the parliamentary service in Canongate church tomorrow.
Members, do not underestimate the role you play in supporting the people within your constituencies. It is easy to get so caught up in the difficulties and problems that we face, particularly during this changing and challenging world of ours, that we lose sight of the wonder and beauty of the individuals that you, the church and all faith communities, seek to serve. They are our greatest resource.
Be assured of my continuing prayers.
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