Arrochar Parish Church Dedication of Trees in Memory of John H. Carson, C.B.E.
		The following is the text of the service in front of the Church on the afternoon of Sunday 23rd. February, 2003. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. May the favour of the Lord our God be on us. Establish for us all that we do. Psalm 121     I to the hills will lift my eyes Almighty God, without you nothing is strong, nothing is holy; with you everything is good, and true, and beautiful. May your hand rest on us, that all we do may show the honour of your name. All things have their beginning in your creative power; all things are made perfect in your redeeming love. In your Son Jesus Christ our Saviour, we look with hope to a new heaven and a new earth, when all creation will be free to praise its Maker. Lord of heaven and earth, every good and perfect gift comes from you. send us now your Holy Spirit, that our gifts may truly witness to our faith and hope and love; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. These trees will add greatly to the beauty of this little part of Arrochar. They will add to the view from our lovely Church and in future times will be seen each week as people leave worship on Sunday mornings; they will become part of countless wedding photographs and be remembered as folk come here to bury their dead relatives and appreciate the steps which have been taken to make this a special place. These trees are the gift of Elizabeth Findlay and they are in memory of her father John H. Carson, C.B.E., who, in the words of the plaque 'lived and loved Arrochar.' John Carson was born into a Glasgow Highland family in 1902 and came to Arrochar in 1924. He was an electrician to trade but there was so little work that he came here to a labouring job at the Torpedo Range. It is a mark of how different the world then was that, for his interview, he wore a bowler hat and spats. John remained in single quarters associated with his employment until, in 1934, he married his wife who was in service at the Ross Hotel. In those far off days, John was a champion swimmer and enjoyed swimming, and teaching others, to swim in the loch. John was a church member throughout his life, one of Elizabeth's early memories is of walking to Church each Sunday with her father. Elizabeth remembers him as a tolerant man and as one who hated sectarianism. He joined the Labour Party in 1936 and, from that time on, his life was dedicated to improving the lot of ordinary people through his involvement in politics. He always felt that there was so much to be done: housing in Arrochar; access to education for everyone, something about which he was passionate since he had been denied his own education through family poverty; and adequate and appropriate community facilities for the folk of the village, something which still today is a major issue for us all. Elizabeth remembers that her dad was always buying sliperene for the hall to improve the floor for yet another dance! And if it wasn't a dance then there was a whist drive, a concert party or a garden fete to be organised. He saw the hall as being vital to village life and he often said that if he were to make a fortune he would give Arrochar a new hall. I'm told that John didn't just organise dances - he loved to dance himself and was very light on his feet, and was always very smartly dressed whether for a dance, a social event or a meeting. Elizabeth told me that there was never any chance of her dad making a fortune. He had little and what he had he often seemed to be giving to other people. I'm told that he was on almost every committee in the village and that, in pre National Health days, he was especially interested in the Nursing Association. I'm also told that John and Archie Campbell from Glen loin held their Labour party meetings at the beginning and end of the church service, seated, as was their custom, right up at the back. John had a huge regard for the older folk of the village and it was he who arranged for Miss MacFarlane in her one hundredth year to switch on the power after the Lochsloy Hydroelectric scheme brought electricity to all. Elizabeth remembers being taken round many of the homes of older folk with her father when she was just a young girl. In 1954 work compelled the family to move to Balloch but John continued to serve as the councillor for Arrochar, often being seen arriving in Arrochar in his Austin Seven tied together with bits of rope. He loved serving this community and, appropriately, in 1966, for his services to the people of West Dumbartonshire, John was awarded the C.B.E. and it was of particular pride to him that so many of the letters of congratulation which he received were from his political opponents. His award, of course, recognised a real wealth of public service. In his time he had been chairman of the National health executive Committee for Dumbartonshire, a member of the Medical Practices Committee for Scotland, a member of the Rent Tribunal for Scotland and a member of the Education Committee for this area. I've already said that education was important to John, he felt extremely strongly about children working while still at school. He spoke from personal experience as he had risen at 4 a.m. himself and had worked after school to help his mother bring up the family - and he was ahead of his time in seeking to ban the belt at school. He remained throughout a quiet man and a modest one and he would have enjoyed learning of all that has happened in our community since his death in 1982. Many people will enjoy these trees and will be reminded by them of John's life and for the example of service which his life personified.. I thank you for this gift which we now dedicate to God's glory. In the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ I dedicate these trees to the glory of God and in memory of John H. Carson, C.B.E. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.   Amen. There are so many lovely Bible readings appropriate for today, and it may be that the reading I have chosen does not strike you immediately as being appropriate: It comes from Matthew's Gospel. The speaker is Jesus: "Do not be worried about the food and drink you need in order to stay alive, or about clothes for your body. After all, isn't life worth more than food? And isn't the body worth more than clothes? Look at the birds: they do not sow seeds, gather a harvest and put it in barns; yet your Father in heaven takes care of them! Aren't you worth much more than birds? Can any of you live a bit longer by worrying about it? And why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow: they do not work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that not even King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers. It is God who clothes the wild grass - grass that is here today and gone tomorrow, burnt up in the oven. Won't he be all the more sure to clothe you? How little faith you have! So do not start worrying: 'Where will my food come from? or my drink? or my clothes?' Your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things. So do not worry about tomorrow: it will have enough worries of its own. Thanks be to God. I think that it is important whenever we meet, but perhaps especially on an occasion such as this, that we are reminded that wherever we are and whatever happens to us, we are in God's care. God loves us now and will love us for ever. Those we love who have died are now in his care and one day we shall be together again. And the beauty of these trees in years to come will remind many of God's providence - they are certainly not wild flowers - but they are beautiful examples of God's handiwork and speak to us of God's miracle of creation. Thank you for these gifts which speak to us now and will as we look on them in the future. And thank you too for sharing this special family time of giving thanks for your father with us as well. Let us pray. Father in heaven, we thank you for the life commemorated today, for John Carson, and for all that he means to Elizabeth, to her family and to the people of Arrochar. We thank you for the ever so many memories which surround us as we think of loved ones who have died and for your promise that they are in your love for ever and that one day we shall be together in that love which is more wonderful than we can ever imagine. We thank you for the generosity of Elizabeth Findlay in making this gift and we think of all who will gain pleasure from looking on these trees and being reminded of the beauty of your handiwork. Bless us, Father, and be with us today and for ever, in Jesus' name. Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, for ever. Amen. Hymn     Praise my soul, the king of heaven God loves you. Go from here in peace, and in very great joy, to serve him.   And the blessing of God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with you now, and remain with you for ever. Amen.