Friday, August 29, 2003
DAVID KNOX talks to the author whose encounter with a Selkirk 'cleric left a lasting impression
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| SPREADING THE WORD: Gareth Saunders, Alice Gower and comedian-turned-author Danny Wallace hit the headlines in their Join Me tour in Edinburgh at the Pear Tree House. |
A HEAD-BANGING Selkirk vicar has shot to fame after appearing in a best-selling new book.
The Rev Gareth Saunders features extensively in comedian Danny Wallace's bizarre account of the rise and rise of his home-brew cult.
Join Me, which arrived on the shelves last month, has already been made W H Smith's book of the week.
And television chat shows have been scrambling over each other to win interviews with both the author and Gareth.
The heavy-metal loving priest, who was educated at Knowepark and Selkirk High, told the Wee Paper.. "I first noticed the Join Me appeal on the internet, and it seemed kind of fun and mysterious. Being a minister, I always put my faith in things I can't quite explain.
"There have been no problems with the church, in fact I think they like
the idea. In a way this is what the church should be doing."
Members of Join Me are required to sign a 'Good Friday Agreement', where they
commit to doing one act of random kindness every Friday. And so far thousands
have pledged their devotion to the Join Me cult.
Gareth added: "I really enjoy the random acts of kindness. When the book came out I went To W H Smith's and put gift vouchers into copies.
"I've also handed boxes of chocolates to policemen, security guards and
staff at Computer World." An entire chapter of Danny Wallace's book is
dedicated to his meeting with Gareth last summer, when he was assistant curate
at Inverness Cathedral.
As well as spreading the word of the Join Me cult in the Scottish Highlands,
Danny also tells of the priest's obsession with Metalica (sic), guitars (he
has eight) and head-banging.
"Gareth Saunders has become a great friend through the Join Me
cult. He invited me to Inverness last year and put me up at the vicarage"
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Danny Wallace, who was also involved in the highly successful TV shows Are You Dave Gorman? and Dave Gorman's Important Astrology Experiment, is currently touring the UK signing books.
But he took time out to talk to the Wee Paper. He said. "It all began because I was bored one afternoon - I never really thought Join Me would come as far.
"More and more people are joining the cult all the time - we've got thousands and thousands of Joinees.
"Gareth Saunders has become a real friend through the Join Me cult. He invited me to Inverness last year and put me up at the vicarage!"
Gareth's mum, Rosalie, and sister, Jenni, who both live in Selkirk, have been recruited to the cult.
And Rosalie donated a copy of the book to Selkirk Library as one of her random acts of kindness.
Danny added: "I'm encouraging people to give their copy of the book to a random stranger when they have read it."
The Rev Gareth is now a team priest in Edinburgh, working between parishes in Stenhouse and Murrayfield.
He also comes home to Selkirk from time-to-time to carry out random acts of kindness.
© 2003 David Knox / Selkirk Weekend Advertiser