Dear Friends
Mmh. More leaden skies in the photo above the bridge but sometimes you just can’t keep waiting for summer to come to you but you’ve got to go to it! I know that many of our churches are in the midst of Holiday Clubs, Olympics, Eric Liddell, Stage n Slams, Flower festivals, summer concerts or folks are at the Magnitude festival up North. I would love to hear & see how these special events have gone.
Holiday at Home
Selkirk brought the sunshine & beach to its seniors by having their first ever ‘Holiday at Home.’
A wonderfully committed & generous team hosted twenty three new guests who enjoyed a three day programme that took them to the seaside & Galilee. Bible stories, crafts, activities, making friends…
‘In between, we had great fun being together - singing, eating, chatting, relaxing or learning new skills. Some of our guests are not church members and the same was true of our volunteers, but the event was so encouraging but gentle so we can only pray that the Holy Spirit will do his work. Others are no longer able to attend church because of frailty. A comment from one lady’s daughter: “It was lovely for Mum to feel so welcomed and not feel a nuisance in her wheelchair or with her poor eyesight. The welcome was lovely and it was great to see so many people she’s not seen for a while."
Seaside Baptisms
Some of the young people in Bonnyrigg Parish recently asked if they could renew their faith. With a couple of the group not having been being baptised the minister, Louise Purden, invited the church and friends to join them at the East Lothian coast where there were baptisms and renewal of faith in the sea. ‘It was an absolutely beautiful day and there was a wonderful sense of God’s presence.’
Summer Reading
If you fancy joining the next discussion of ‘Finding our Voice’ by Neil Glover
Online it’s on Tues July 30th at 430pm. Read up to p.95
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82699133398?pwd=yKEaM6kxleDRL4teeDctYkzAe2GWao.1
Please find attached to this email
- Praise Night at Loanhead on Aug 11th
- Sanctuary First Praise Ceilidh at the Fringe
- Details of a special service to be held this Sunday at Yarrow.
- Children’s leader opportunity in Berwick
Recommendations are invited for the next Moderator of the General Assembly
The Committee to Nominate the Moderator is now accepting recommendations for who will be nominated as Moderator of the General Assembly in May 2025.
The Accelerate Programme from Community Enterprise
‘From here to financial sustainability’
Accelerate is a support programme for the Third Sector and community organisations. Support is FREE and aims to help groups and organisations become more sustainable and enterprising.
Accelerate provides mentoring and guidance and some examples of the sort of support offered include:
- Community research looking at the potential of increasing income through hall lets
- Developing digital strategies
- Developing marketing plans
- Looking at other funding options (note that Accelerate does not offer grant funding itself).
https://communityenterprise.co.uk/what-we-do/services/accelerate
The Presbytery Prayer Calendar
This week we are continuing to pray for Haddington West linked with Garvald & Morham
As from Sunday July 28th we are praying for Hawick: Burnfoot
Where we remember in prayer this week the leadership and all involved in the life of this community.
community. We give thanks for the outreach work that is happening and ask that the youth work, Messy Church and Churches together would have an impact in our community.
Read / Think / Pray / Act
Tuesday, July 23, 2024: Acts 20:17-38
Wednesday, July 24, 2024: Luke 15:1-7
Thursday, July 25, 2024: Colossians 1:9-14
Friday, July 26, 2024: Colossians 3:12-17
Saturday, July 27, 2024: John 4:31-38
Sunday, July 28, 2024: No readings, we worship with others in church
Monday, July 29, 2024: Philippians 4:10-20
Wishing you a lovely BBQ / holiday / picnic / gardening / family visit / summer read or snooze…
(Please delete where appropriate)
Love & prayers
Peter
Rev. Peter J. Wood
Mission Officer for Lothian & Borders Presbytery