I offer and facilitate unique, co-created, personal, and participatory ceremonies for namings, changings, joinings, and leavings. I also offer support for climate activists, and all who seek active hope to face our climate emergency. I am a OneSpirit Interfaith Minister, based in Edinburgh, Scotland, and I look forward to working with you whatever your spiritual beliefs if any — or background.

I believe in the power of community and the earth to support and nourish us with love on our journeys through life. I aspire to follow the leadings of love and truth to joyful action in the world.

I would love to hear from you!

Chris was so supportive guiding us through creating a personal ceremony that reflected us and the wedding we wanted. He brought ideas for the ceremony and supported us writing our vows. On the day, he helped to create a perfect, relaxed, loving and inclusive ceremony.

– AM
Firestack
Stop in the name of love (banner on fence at Faslane)

Love

#MonthOfMinistry Day 6 I know you’re scared And I’m scared tooBut here I am Right next to you African-American singer/songwriter and activist Melanie DeMore reminds us to lead with love in these times of fear and chaos: Lead With Love – Melanie DeMoreYou gotta put one foot in front of the otherAnd lead with lovePut … Read more
Saint Nicholas of Myra slapping Arius at the First Council of Nicaea

Interfaith

#MonthOfMinistry Day 4 The image shows St Nicholas (definitely not channelling his cosy Santa Claus persona!) about to slap Arius at the First Council of Nicaea. They’re disagreeing about whether Christ the Son is of the same substance as God the Father. A highly technical point about the nature of the Trinity, but enough for … Read more
A couple exchanging wedding rings

Vow

#MonthOfMinistry Day 3 A couple came to me for a wedding ceremony recently, and I asked the what vows or promises they wanted to make to each other. “No vows!” they said, and I was momentarily at a loss. What, after all, makes a wedding ceremony if it’s not the chance to tell your partner … Read more
wild service tree

Service

#MonthOfMinistry Day 2 To tell the truth, I’m rather wary of the word “service”. It has too many connotations of unequal relationship, situations where work isn’t offered freely (military service, domestic service, …). The word is related to the Latin servus meaning a slave. When we use this word to describe our activity, particularly in … Read more
Photographer and trees reflected in a square mirror, with a large house behind

Me

#MonthOfMinistry Day 1 Hello, I’m Chris, outdoor swimmer, peace activist, interfaith celebrant, web developer, Work That Reconnects facilitator… I’m passionate about addressing the causes of conflict, injustice, suffering, and environmental damage, and building radical communities to sustain us in this work. Walking in the mountains and swimming in the sea, the beauty, energy and wildness in … Read more
Apricot tree in spring bloom

Easter Day 1938

Another powerful song that feels fitting for the times. This is Bertolt Brecht’s “Easter Day” set to music by Hans Eisler. Brecht wrote this in 1938 on a small island in Denmark, having fled Germany after Hitler came to power. This is the version sung by Robyn Archer (I’m not sure who made this translation): … Read more
Anti Trump Protest March London July 13 2018 - Women's March

One foot in front of the other

A song for today, by African-American singer/songwriter and activist Melanie DeMore. We sometimes sing this uplifting song in Protest in Harmony. I think it’s going to be needed in the time to come. Lead With Love – Melanie DeMoreYou gotta put one foot in front of the otherAnd lead with lovePut one foot in front … Read more
Pine tree

The title ‘reverend’…

The title ‘Reverend’ sits easily/reluctantly with me because… #MonthOfMinistry Day 16: When I and my Onespirit Interfaith Minister colleagues completed our training, we were ‘ordained’ (another odd word), and told that we were now entitled to use the title ‘Reverend’. I really found this quite problematic! Firstly, it’s a title mainly used by Christian clerics. … Read more
Quaker Meeting for Worship

What is your spiritual practice?

#MonthOfMinistry Day 10 There are quite a few different things that I’d consider to be “spiritual practice”. What does that even mean? For me it covers all those things that I do, with intention, to help me stop, rest in the present moment, connect with The first is Quaker Meeting for Worship, our equivalent, perhaps, … Read more
Thali

My personal motto is…

#MonthOfMinistry Day 13 Our supper is plain, but we are very wonderful. It’s a line from the poem 23rd Street Runs into Heaven by Kenneth Patchen, and it speaks to me of the joys that can be found in simplicity. (The photo is a rather fancy supper: the lovely thali my housemates cooked for my … Read more