Packed Church for Charity Book Launch by Former Moderator

AROUND 200 people packed into a Perthshire church yesterday (Sunday) for the launch of a charity book written by a former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.

The Very Rev Dr James Simpson, who served as Moderator from 1994 to 1995 (and is a regular Life and Work columnist), has raised more than £70,000 for Cystic Fibrosis research since his eldest granddaughter Sally was diagnosed with the condition 30 years ago, by donating all royalties from his best-selling books on humour. Sally passed away in 2013.

The current Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the Rt Rev Dr Russell Barr and former Moderator and Principal Clerk, the Very Rev John Chalmers spoke in support of Dr Simpson’s latest publication, ‘Uncommon Sense and Comic Nonsense’.

Welcoming the audience to the launch at Bankfoot Church Centre, near Perth, Dr Simpson said he had been ‘greatly surprised’ when his first book of humour proved to be a best seller.

Commending the book, Dr Barr (who was celebrating his birthday), said: “It is full of wisdom, it s full of life and it is full of humour – not just humour to make you laugh, but humour to make you think. It is humour with a purpose.”

Mr Chalmers said copies of Dr Simpson’s books sat side by side on his bookshelves with the works of great theologians, but the most thumbed works were those books of humour which he could give as gifts to non-church going friends, who would read them and be challenged.

Urging those present to help Dr Simpson to reach a £100,000 target of royalty donations to CF research, he said: “At one level Jimmy is just motiviated to write but at another level there has been the desire to raise awareness and raise money for research into Cystic Fibrosis.

“The real heroine of tonight’s launch is Sally. Most of us here tonight were inspired by her life , her courage and her determination. She is the real inspiration behind this latest book. She is the real inspiration we all need to take on board as we seek with others to make this a best seller.”

All books available for sale on the evening were quickly sold out.

Information about the book, priced at £5.95 and published by Steve Savage, is available at http://www.savagepublishers.com/459.html along with information on how to order. Copies can also be ordered through booksellers.

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