Message from our Locum – Joan Kilpatrick – Jan 2016
Dear Friends
Here we are again at the beginning of another year – how does it feel? I’m quite sure we all have mixed feelings about 2015 depending on what has gone on in our lives and what we’ve seen happening across the world, but hopefully the good is able to outweigh the not so good.
Our first Sunday of the New Year has the theme of Travelling Hopefully and reminds us of the journey made by the Magi to find Jesus in Bethlehem. They thought He would be in a palace and headed for Herod instead – how wrong they were! Thankfully they realised their I’d like to mistake and set off to the right place where they gave their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. As I read this story, just as I have so often in the past, I was aware of these gifts and wondered what I could take to this King. Is He looking for precious metals or smelly candles? No I don’t think that’s the kind of gift He wants.
Our theme for the Watchnight Service was Love, how Love came down at Christmas and how it often can be forgotten as we prepare for the festivities or are left on our own with nothing and no-one to celebrate it with. And yet, the total offerings from the Candlelight, Watchnight and Christmas Day services was over £600 double what Roger Gann had been aiming for – the money will be distributed equally to the Lodging House Mission, Glasgow City Mission and Church House in Bridgeton. What a sign of love for our fellow human beings – this is the kind of gift Jesus desires.
He always had a heart for the poor, the marginalised and rejected because He could see they needed support, encouragement and most of all a love which would show itself through action as well as words.
As we begin to look forward no doubt there will be anxious times because of health, family, friends and financial issues but there is someone who will walk this road with us – we will not be on our own as Jesus has walked His own path of despair, fear as well as hope, He was after all, like us in so many ways so He does understand.
We have an amazing gift in the form of Prayer and through the power of the Holy Spirit, even when we don’t know how or what to pray, He will know how we are feeling in the deepest part of our being and will raise that to the throne of God. Please continue to pray for our Nominating Committee as they work towards finding the Minister for Clincarthill, pray they will be led to the person who God has chosen to take us forward.
I wish you a peaceful and hope-filled 2016, may God bless and guide you throughout this year.
Love and Blessings
Joan