First Fruits from Alpha

We have started a weekly Prayer Group Meeting in Bowmore - the first took place today in the Baptist church. One woman attending said she had been praying for this for years! The meeting will take place from 12-1pm each Friday from now on and all are welcome.

This is an answer to my own prayers and hopes for the Alpha Course and has come out of the Alpha Course without prompts from myself. I am acutely aware that those few energetic churches that I have had the privilige of knowing have always had people praying for the work of the church on a regular basis AND at a prayer meeting ie corporate prayer is involved as well as private prayers. There is much to pray about on Islay and I want to encourage folk to drop in from time to time and join this group as they pray each Friday.

I should add that this is not to be thought of as the Round Church Prayer Group, just as the Alpha Course should not be thought of as Church of Scotland. We said from the beginning that all were welcome, little realising that another outcome would be to forge such strong relationships with local Baptists. In an island situation a prayer group reflecting Christian concerns of all kinds must transcend denominations and this Prayer Group does that.

Since our arrival on Islay we have been more and more blessed by developing links with the Baptists here. Last Septemeber we moved our childrens work out of the Bowmore Hall to use the much better facilities of the Baptist Church, and our Alpha Courses have been held in Baptist church facilities, both in Bowmore and Port Ellen. The reality is of course is that we are just sharing with fellow Christians and I am sure the timing of the Prayer Group starting is no accident, because it coincides with the arrival of the new Baptist Minister and his wife, Jim and Riona MacNulty. I was priviliged to speak at his induction and we look forward to working together in the years to come.

Jesus said 'You shall know them by their fruits' Matthew 7:16. That's my prayer too, that people will begin to see that God's people are fruitful in all kinds of ways.