Back to School with God

Yesterday we had our "Back to School with God" family service at the Round Church and we will be doing the same at St John's this coming Sunday. This is a Service that has been organisied by Scripture Union Scotland and has a theme based on Daniel chapter 3, encouraging us all to choose God's way and not to just follow the crowd!! It's a special service designed to commission our young people and school staff, and to encourage ongoing prayer for local schools throughout the year. In fact Scripture Union Scotland have set up a prayer network called the Schools Prayer Network. You can see details by clicking here. 

Sunday Club and Footsteps, Kilnaughton Beach BBQ, 2010

Just back from the annual Sunday Club beach barbecue. It was a joint affair with folk from Bowmore and Port Ellen attending which was great. As you might expect we had everything.... - good food, drinks, cakes, jelly babies, sand castles, sea, rain (lots of it) and then no rain (and then lots of midges decided to join us). The 'skin so soft' midge repellent soon ran out, and since by then the food had run out  too.... we all ran home... :)
It was great to see so many children there and it was a great afternoon, with an opportunity for me to get to chat to parents.

A great big thank you must go to Iain Laurie, and his team, who organised the event (as usual it seems) and did all the cooking. I thought the food we enjoyed was much like that you see in the Port Ellen Spar... ??  Now who owns that Spar....  Oh yes, it's Iain Laurie... now isn't that a coincidence... :)

Kildalton Cross Service 2010

Here we are just beginning to assemble for the annual Kildalton Cross Service. Around 30 people from around Islay came along for this Thanksgiving Service. We had Ray Woodrow (Baptist) reading, Adrienne (Catholic) leading prayers and I gave a short address on John 17 thanking God for our Christian heritage, but also looking forward, and encouraging everyone to remain in Christ in order that we could bear more fruit, even in an age where the church is so obviously declining.

I found it moving to be stood there with so much history around me, but I was also very aware that we have not honoured those that have gone before us very effectively. Mission must surely become much more of a focus? If we really believe that our Christian heritage is valuable ie how it has enabled us to hear and receive the gospel, then surely we must make more strenuous efforts to enagage those around us that are caught up in the hussle and bussle of modern life? My confidence in the gospel is born out of a life immersed in that hussle (nay hassle!) which proved so fruitless in comparison with all that I have learned of the Christian way of life.

I hope to make more of this service next year, by looking back AND looking forward. I hope you will be able to join us :)

Weddings!!!

Weddings, weddings, weddings... what an amazing first year of weddings! Here are just a few pics of the weddings... at St.Johns, at the Roundchurch, in the Gaelic College and on the Beach! I already have bookings for 2012...

At the first one I forgot to get the witnesses to sign the schedule... and at the last one we had one of the ushers sign by accident... ah well, it was all OK in the end..

The really wonderful thing for me is that all these couples wanted a 'Christian' Wedding, they wanted God involved. Some out of a deep faith conviction, some I suspect out of a realisation that we need all the help we can get in the love stakes, but as best I could judge all were moved by what they were doing. Quite right too because a Christian wedding is all about giving, it is not about taking. So much of our modern literature and media encourages us to take what we can get, or look for the person that can fulfill us. "It's all about me". Yet to offer oneself to another in holy matrimony is not all about "me", it's all about love and what I can give. Oh certainly this is one risky venture and the reality is that some will probably fall short of the mark, but to at least point yourself in the direction of the mountain top is surely better than staying down on the plains?

The reality for me is that the weddings have been a privilege and a highlight of ministry here. I hope to be able to keep in contact with the couples as they go forward, and I hope to marry many more in due course. :)