Hello everyone,
Normally in our updates we put everything that comes in out, however this update is going to have one item only. The National Day of Prayer being called across every congregation in the Church of Scotland.
We are going into the busiest of seasons when it can feel like the hamster wheel of church goes faster and faster. We have so much to get through and so much to deliver it can become a marathon we are glad to just survive. Yet that is to miss the most amazing thing which is that Jesus Christ came into the world as a baby to redeem us, because God loved the world enough to send his son. With God, Christmas is a reminder of the greatest act of love the world has ever seen. Without God, it is just another string of events we want people to support. I was sitting in Costa today for a couple of meetings and they have started their Christmas music already. It was Mariah Carey. People are meeting Christmas but they are not necessarily meeting Jesus.
The Disciple Andrew brought others to Jesus because he recognised this was no ordinary person but the Messiah. That encounter then changed people’s lives. On November 29th , the day before St Andrew’s day, every congregation in the church is being asked to gather for prayer. Pray people will meet Jesus. Rosie Frew, minister of Melrose and Bowden and Moderator of the denomination writes: “Make a space and a time to bring your prayers for your congregation, your community, the Church of Scotland, the church in Scotland and beyond to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,”
That is a worthy thing to do. The call for a national day of prayer has been issued and Lothian and Borders Presbytery is urging every congregation to respond by gathering for prayer on the 29th.
You can find more about the day of prayer and resources to help you here: Congregations are invited to a Church of Scotland Day of Prayer | The Church of Scotland
God Bless
Norman Smith
Presbytery Clerk