We’re fully into the summer according to the astronomical calendar which begins with the summer solstice (June 21st). And, if you’re in the west of Scotland as we are, you’ve probably noticed a lot of activity in the garden. With a combination of typical Scottish summer showers and some intermittent sun, it’s been a good growing season for the garden! Flowers are bursting to life and the grass is growing faster than it can be mowed! In short, given the right conditions, a garden flourishes.
We read about something similar in Jesus’ parable of the sower. There it’s less about the weather and more about the kind of soil the seeds end up in (or otherwise) – the seed that falls on good soil produces a fruitful crop. When Jesus explains the parable a few verses later we learn that “the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it” (Matt 13:23 NIV). In the same way a garden flourishes given the right conditions of sun, water, and nutrients, our faith flourishes when we give it the right nourishment.
One of our core values is that we “create a learning environment which nourishes faith.” It’s a key value as it underpins another of our core values: “help students discover and develop their call, inspiring them to reach their full potential.” We want to create the right conditions to nourish your faith, which in turn will help you discover your call, and encourages you to reach your potential. We want you to learn, grow, and flourish. We believe that intentional time spent deepening our understanding of God’s word and God’s world helps us to flourish and produce a fruitful harvest.
That’s why this summer we’re concentrating our message around FLOURISHING and the College being a place to Nourish Your Faith; Discover Your Call; and Reach Your Potential.
If you’d like to discuss options for joining our learning community in September 2022 please email Graham on graham.meiklejohn@uws.ac.uk
