Richard Coton reflects on his time with CVE: The Crypt Lake Trail
“Think of the schools, think of the 1000s of pupils for whom we can be both salt and light! Supported by CVE Scotland, Christians can again be purposeful and intentional, well trained and well resourced, key influencers in Scottish education. God is ahead of us.”
GRIZZLIES AND SCARY LEDGES
…..Or how CVE Scotland got going!
Richard Coton, one of the team who thought up CVE Scotland in 2013, has recently stepped down from our Management Committee, since he and his wife Marjorie are moving to England. Who better, we thought, to give us the inside story of CVE Scotland…..
CVE: Hi Richard, just before you head off over the Border, have you got time to tell us a bit about CVE?
Richard: Wow, there’s so much I could say. You know, I think the CVE journey has been a bit like hiking my all-time favourite trail. The Crypt Trail (scary name but an amazing adventure) is regularly voted #1 route in the Canadian Rockies:
- First, cross a fjord-like lake by ferry (the only practical way to get started on the Trail)
- Hike up a steep-sided valley that is home to several grizzly bears
- Scramble up a large scree slope
- Climb an iron ladder into a 40-foot natural tunnel giving onto a ledge part-way up a 500-foot cliff
- Walk diagonally up the ledge to the top of the cliff (next to the waterfall)
- Gaze awestruck at the little circular lake you have reached, which has mini-icebergs floating on it and is surrounded by sheer cliffs rising another thousand feet above you.
CVE: So how on earth could the CVE Scotland journey involve grizzly bears and 500-foot cliffs? We hope it wasn’t that scary?
Richard: Oh yes, CVE met a few grizzlies in the early days, but let’s go right back to how we started. Then you’ll see what I mean….
1.Getting Started on the good ship “Scripture Union”
We’d never have got started without SU Scotland – just as the ferry gets you to the start of the Crypt Trail. The idea for CVE Scotland first arose from a conversation in early 2013 between two ‘heedies’, Andy Smith (at that time, Rector of Perth Academy) and me (shortly before I retired as Rector of Monifieth High School).
But what made all the difference was Andy Bathgate, CEO of SU Scotland, joining us at our second meeting. He’s been absolutely pivotal to CVE’s development ever since. And SU Scotland has provided seed funding, logistical support, networking, endless advice, prayer…. The list is endless and ongoing.
2.Dealing with the grizzlies
The launch of CVE Scotland was clearly in God’s timing. No sooner had we started than the Scottish Secular Society published its “report” into the “infiltration” of Scottish schools by Christians who were allegedly intent on proselytising unsuspecting children and young people. It did feel like walking up a valley full of grizzly bears — but we were ideally placed to develop a coherent rationale for the involvement of Christians in Scotland’s schools. A series of roundtable consultations in different parts of the country resulted in what is today the most succinct and compelling rationale for Christian involvement in schools. The five minutes it takes you to read it will be time well spent!
Of course, we didn’t just produce a document; we held meetings of Christian teachers, youth workers, chaplains and parents across the length and breadth of Scotland. Confidence began to grow: what Christians were doing in schools wasn’t some marginal niche activity; it was essential in enabling children and young people to make informed choices about life. We could start looking at the inspiring view beyond. Not only was there a rationale, there were numerous examples of best practice — and the Scottish Secular Society became strangely silent on the issue!
When you’re hiking through a forest, it seems never ending. We reckoned that establishing a new, Scotland wide Christian charity would take around five years of hard work — and that, at first, there wouldn’t be much to show for it. Blessedly, we had (and have!) a fantastic team of volunteers: key people from Scripture Union, Youth for Christ, Scottish Catholic Education Service, Church of Scotland Education Committee and CARE, teachers from primary, secondary and special education. On the Crypt Trail, you’re only safe from the bears if you’re in the group — preferably making as much noise as possible. CVE Scotland has likewise never journeyed alone!
3.Website (a bit like scree!)
Scree slopes are hard work! And the big CVE Scotland scree slope was creating our website, an immense library of online resources, information and advice. Launched initially in autumn 2015, it has been added to constantly ever since and was completely revamped in 2019. It is the largest of its kind anywhere in the UK, a marvellous resource for Christian teachers, school chaplains – anyone involved in education. And lockdown is the perfect opportunity to explore it!
CVE: What happened next?
Richard: Well, once the website was up and running, CVE started to get really exciting…..a bit like the iron ladder, the tunnel and the ledge on the Crypt Trail.
4. The ladder and tunnel
On the Crypt Trail, you’re mightily grateful when you get past the scree and climb the iron ladder. After that, there’s the 40-foot long natural tunnel through the cliff – they’re a real help and you know you’re making real progress.
All the progress CVE Scotland has made in the last 5 years has been because of the great help we’ve received – it’s the same idea. Through it, we’re becoming a key Christian influencer in Scottish education:
- The Scottish Government wrote to us, endorsing “the substantial and enduring influence of the Christian faith transforming and inspiring Scotland’s people and culture,” so that “faith-based education and religious observance have an important part to play in the development of our young people.”
- Education Scotland recognised us as an official partner.
- Bee Roy, our first National Worker, blazed the trail for us, an incredibly challenging task since we didn’t really know where the trail lay. As the work mushroomed, she was joined by Kathryn Russon, our first Administrator, an invaluable addition to the team.
- In the last 3 years, we have initiated major joint projects with the Church of Scotland, the Scottish Catholic Education Service, 10 Must Know Bible Stories, Grasping the Nettle and Scripture Union Scotland.
CVE: You mentioned a cliff, and a ledge climbing up it?!
5. Climbing towards the goal
Richard: The ledge ……hmm, yes, it is pretty daunting – I’m quite proud of myself for getting up it (but there was a secret that let you do it – I’ll tell you about it later). The ledge climbs at approximately 45°, in places it’s only 2 feet wide, and there’s a drop of several hundred feet below you. But you get up it quite quickly, and it’s just so exciting.
CVE Scotland really started to climb upwards quickly 2-3 years ago; that’s been exhilarating too.
When Bee Roy and Kathryn Russon moved on to other posts, Megan Patterson, an immensely experienced trainer who works part-time training Christian teachers in Africa with SIM, took over temporarily as National Worker. I was so pleased when she succeeded me as National Secretary in 2018. In the last three years she’s been indefatigable in criss-crossing the country, meeting with groups of Christian teachers and others involved with education. If you haven’t been blessed with a PrayerWorks event in your area, why not use the time you have during Lockdown to organise one for the future?
Victoria Myles’ appointment as Senior Administrator has been brilliant, as we use online media more and more to network Christians involved in education. Steve Younger joined us in 2019, training and networking school chaplains across the country. Attending one of Steve’s training events is inspiring. He’s got such a depth of experience – and he just knows so many people! The key aim for Chaplains is to build really good networks which allow us to support and resource them. They can be quite isolated at present, and they love it when they get together – there’s so much sharing of good ideas.
CVE: That’s been really interesting, Richard. What are your hopes and prayers for the future of CVE Scotland?
Richard: Well, let’s get up that cliff and see what lies at the top of the Crypt Trail. It’s jaw-droppingly brilliant! One of the best corries you’ve ever seen. It’s so high that there are mini-icebergs floating in the lake, and snow-fields flowing into it. Yet you can see I’m only wearing the lightest clothes because it’s really warm. It’s worth every bit of effort to get there…
6. The Prospect
….And what lies ahead for CVE Scotland, for Scottish Christian teachers and school chaplains, can be every bit as rewarding. I’m convinced of it. There are 2000 – 4000 Christian teachers in Scotland and 1000+ school chaplains. CVE Scotland is now in touch with a significant percentage of them. Think of the schools, think of the 1000s of pupils for whom we can be both salt and light! Supported by CVE Scotland, Christians can again be purposeful and intentional, well trained and well resourced, key influencers in Scottish education. God is ahead of us. He can use the most unexpected things to change the atmosphere completely, as the coronavirus pandemic is demonstrating. And he wants to use us to bring the change! Why not use the time – now – organise a training event for school chaplains or Christian teachers, to be run once we get past lockdown? You can have a look at the CVE events page for some ideas.
CVE: That’s brilliant. Thanks very much, Richard. That Crypt Trail sounds pretty scary though!
Richard: You know, there was one vital feature of the Crypt Trail — without it, we couldn’t have got there (it’s the secret I mentioned earlier). There was a strong steel cable, which we clung onto as we inched our way up that scary ledge. And the one vital thing we need to hold onto as Christians in Scottish schools? — It’s prayer. We can “do all things in Christ who strengthens us”. Let’s get hold of that, because our schools and our society need Christ like never before….. and maybe they are just beginning to realise it!
