Peat and Diesel

Peat and Diesel... smile too

What is the connection with Oswald Chambers and Perth Baptist Church?

"My utmost to his highest" is the phrase most quoted from Oswald Chambers  or his linked information on his writing, who died, in 1917 in Cairo. (15 November 1917.)

He had been ministering to soldiers during the War and took appendicitis. Not wanting to take up a bed he delayed treatment but then was forced to have surgery and died within weeks. Having spent several years in America he had previously been a student of Royal Academy of Art and Dunoon Theological College. Prior to this he had studied at The university of Edinburgh. it was at that point he had his second spiritual challenge between a vocation in Art and training for ministry.

In his post studies life he promoted Holiness and the League of Prayer and while he never specifically published he had several writings with some taken in shorthand by his wife "Biddy". She Gertrude Hobbs, shortened to Biddy, would later have these writings published.

It was as a teenager in London that he was awakened in his spiritual life after hearing a famous preacher. His father praying with him on the road home from a preaching time. He was at Ryeland Baptist Church London. Oswald was a man who promoted the life of holiness.

Oswald's mother was Hannah, and his father Clarence Chambers a "stern" Baptist minister.
Oswald was born in Aberdeen in 1874 and spent some of his youth in Perth as his father was the Baptist minister in Perth from 1881 to 1888.

Perth Baptist Church took over the Opera house in 1891 so by that time the Chambers were in London so did not spent time in this Scots baronial style building on the corner of Tay Street and Canal Street when it was a Church.

Opera House then PBC Church 1984 ablaze,

The link from Church to Building seems to be Sir Robert Pullar who was a member of the public hall company, Perth Ltd the entity building the opera house. It opened as an opera house in 1881.

PBC Centre

So there you have it Oswald Chambers was in Perth Baptist Church and his father was the Pastor.!

 

“We tend to use prayer as a last resort, but God wants it to be our first line of defence. We pray when there's nothing else we can do, but God wants us to pray before we do anything at all.

Most of us would prefer, however, to spend our time doing something that will get immediate results. We don't want to wait for God to resolve matters in His good time because His idea of 'good time' is seldom in sync with ours.”  ― Oswald Chambers 

Oswald Chambers 

Perth Baptist Church 

 

Where will the Investment market go now.?

The latest trend this week has been down with a few days of lower prices and indices.
Investors will be asking 
What will happen after the election next Friday?
Will the market pick up before the election during or after?
Will it go up simply because there is a solution no matter who gets in with a majority?

One investment firm recons investors are holding around 43% of funds in cash allowing them the opportunity to buy in to investment in the near future. 

At the end of the day we do not know what could happen. look what happened this week after a Trump speech.

Happy investing if you are able to.

Update on Paperchase

 

I have decided not to go any further with this situation, although I would still wish to see a CEO reply in due course.

There are other things to be involved in at this time.
Thanks for reading and considering actions.

Paperchase reply....and my response so far

Frances

Dear Mr Robertson

Thank you very much for your email letter to Paperchase.

Thank you

But I wrote to the CEO and still await a reply.

We, of course, welcome feedback from our customers and consider all points of view, as such I do appreciate you bringing your feelings on this matter to our attention. We do not wish to cause offence to any of our customers and take a complaint such as yours most seriously. Complaints about our Novelty range - and specifically the more humorous aspect of it - are extremely rare. 

You have caused offence and continue to as you purely acknowledge the complaint and you have not said what action you will take as a company.

I was told that one person on the telephones, they receive at least two complaints a day regarding the inflatable Jesus.  Is there a set pattern of hear the complaint acknowledge and do nothing?

 We do carry a very wide range of product and try to cater for most tastes and, while we do not imagine for one moment that we satisfy everyone, our range certainly has broad appeal.

The particular product you have highlighted, the Inflatable Jesus, was bought to celebrate the season, not to offend in any way; please be assured that we have no intention of trivialising Christian beliefs or teaching.

How does buying an inflatable Jesus celebrate the season.?

Surely this does more than trivialise faith.

If I was selling inflatable toys of your best friend would you like it?

This is a misrepresentation of Jesus. Its mocking.

How would you like it if we used dolls to mock your best friend?

I appreciate you have questioned the decision making process and would like to reassure you that myself, with my Buying team, Duncan, Timothy and Nick are all informed on the range of the products that we sell.

Havent you a real conflict of interest in this matter….that is why I wrote to The CEO .

It would be good to hear what he has to say and what action the company may or may not   take.

Once again please accept our apologies for the offence caused and I sincerely hope you continue to shop with us in the future

I await the CEO reply to specific questions asked>? Regards Brian

Best regards

Frances

and same day

Stacey H (Paperchase) 29 Nov, 15:06 GMT Dear Mr Robertson, Hope you are well and apologies for the delay in responding to you. Firstly, please allow me to extend my sincere thanks for forwarding on your complaint as requested when you called us on the 19th Nov. As advised at the time, full details of your complaint were shared with the appropriate people and a full response will be provided from our product director in due course via email. I would like to take this opportunity to apologise once again for the offence you have been caused but also thank you for the time taken to relay back your thoughts on the matter. Sincere apologies once again.  Kind regards, Stacey Hill Paperchase Customer Services

need to chase Paperchase ...

Paperchase and offensive product

I called last week to Paperchase Perth. I like their products but appreciate there are less for the gentleman. I have bought  several times and tend to look in every time I am in the High Street.

I was surprised to see the following inflatable Jesus on sale. ( seemingly it was on sale last year)

I came home and phoned the company to see if there was some sort of vetting of products before they go on sale. I was advised that the buyers have the say on what is sold.

So I e mailed complaints ---Not that I am in the habit of doing such things.

Its now 7 days since the e mail and apart from a return acknowledgement have heard nothing.

So here is my open letter to the CEO Duncan Gibson

To Duncan Gibson CEO, or Timothy Melgund Deputy Chair or Nick Woods Chair

Paperchase Products Ltd and associated companies

(Via Pete Burns and then E Commerce manager/Director and Stacy Hill)

I have been a regular customer and browser to Paperchase over the years and was shocked when I saw the gifts on offer in the store in Perth Today.

(how I missed them last year I don’t know)

Inflatable Jesus

I found the product known as the inflatable Jesus not funny, bad taste, and offensive.

I wondered currently if your compliance department or some such overseers managed to let the Buyers slip this through and spoil your reputation. What were you thinking?

Would Judith Cash like this product?

Would Timothy’s father have liked it?

I wondered how you would have dealt with complaints for an inflatable Mohammad, or an inflatable Hindu doll or the like for any religious group.

It is not for me to audit your product from research to shop front but I have concerns that this product got to the shelves and no one saw fit to consider the offence it may cause let alone the corporate responsibility and corporate reputational risk in making this product available.

I am not in the habit of complaining and I thought the staff fielding the complaints call did a good job but, I feel the corporate walls have meant I cannot get to you through the line very easily to make my concerns heard direct. This could also mean that the buyers have the final say on the product buying and placing. Is this a good thing? 

 I wonder what Primary Capital Ltd ESG would think about this product?

Please reconsider this product as a sales potential in light of the offence it makes.

A review of products might also help profitability as well.

How many more need to complain before action is taken?

Duncan, I would appreciate your reply in early course.

Regards

Brian Robertson

Perth

If you are likewise unhappy you could say so at the following 

Paperchase contact

The Soul of Scotland

I have come across this book in the Perth Library and although just started I am finding it refreshing and interesting as it tracks some of the ways in Christianity in Scotland.

The Soul of Scotland  by Harry Reid I came across very recently when I was looking for books on Office 365 and Share point. I remember using Share point back in 2002 in the office.

The Soul of Scotland  out in 2016 

I really must get back to sending you some research details like the Balchristies 
and others.

I also last year put up some stuff about  John Glass   which you might want to have a look at.

January Money Charity figures

The latest statistics from the money Charity can be found here.

How has the Christmas spend gone?
Are we saving more or borrowing more? 

The latest statistics from the money Charity can be found here.

Join the new project and improve your understanding ...of the bible

Been checking out this U tube and found it to be helpful. Bible project. Subscribe at the u tube page for updated videos.

1,000,000 subscribers

 

SETI@Home... help me or rather them.

I refer to my last post and using your PC be it apple or windows to help Berkeley University carry out calculations to seek confirmation as to any extra messages being beamed to us from outer space.

The actual electricity is minimal and if you have your machine all day then when you are not using it you could allow the university to use the processing power.

Its easy to set up and you can get the links from the last post here.
There are many worthwhile projects you you help. I an concentrated on this one.

Once you are set up , its easy, please join me in the team PerthScotlandSETI and we can track our cumulative credit.

Go on help someone today.

You do not have to live in Perth Scotland...

I will come to " you do not have to live in Scotland" in a minute.

Nothing to do with Church but...
Can you remember some years ago a University in USA was unable to purchase a super computer to carry out calculations of sorts and asked the public to have the ability to use their (when free) computers to help with the work. It has been some years now and the project works like a screensaver. When you are not working on your computer it is given over to the university to carry out various tasks. ( its not a big drain on your electric bill).

I am involved with SETI@Home.

If you want to join me in my group where we record our "credit" then once signed up go to teams and join "PerthScotlandSETI". You do not have to live in Perth Scotland to link into the Group. It simple pulls the "credits" together a s a total.

This project is looking for ...well you read and find out.

The project does not interfere with your day today computer work and simply suspends work while you are carrying out your activities.

SETI@Home

IOS 12.1.1

If you have updated your I pad to operating system 12.1.1 then you now are able to have face time with multi users. I have tried it and it works well. Other users like Messenger and Google hang outs are just as good.

Highland challenge

I am still concerned for those in the highlands of Scotland who feel isolated with regard to Christian fellowship and getting together with like minded people.

Its not all about big venues and large worship meetings but it is good to engage with like minded folks.

Is there a need for a communication that helps?

Barter books got a lot of views.

Hi Everyone

 Barter books got a lot of views. As Did Alexander Duff this week.

 Nice of you to stop by.

Cambridge papers

Here is a link to the recent Cambridge papers, in this case a look at persecution.

Cambridge Papers Pitfalls in combatting persecution by Judd Birdsall